ForestClan: The Three Red Sons
by Shaded-Strike
Summary: Book two of the ForestClan series. Rainpaw is still trying to figure out the prophecy given to her by StarClan. Why does Redstar remind Acidpaw so much of Blazingstar? Why does Roaringbreeze hate Rainpaw so much? Why is Blindnose so annoying? Complete!
1. Blessed by StarClan?

**A/N:**Sorry for the slow update… I promised a chapter after my one month break… but I sort of slacked off. I got obsessed with writing the prequel. **Note:** There is a one moon time skip between this book one and book two.

**Disclaimer: **It has been nearly a year since I started to write this Fanfiction. Nothing has changed. I still don't own Warriors.

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**Mintytooth: **Book Two has arrived! Yay!

**Moonstar of FireClan: **You know me! I love making loose ends and cliffies! (Cackles evilly. Acidpaw takes a step away from me). It's really hard keeping track of the prophecies. I also have 4 pages of family trees. Anything can kill anyone. There are probably over 10 ways to kill someone with an eraser. Probably. Lionkit and Redkit are special indeed. Lionkit is a lot like Lionclaw as an apprentice, while Redkit is a lot like her grandfather. Uh-oh. I'm late to update. (Seth cackles evilly, while I run for dear life)

**StarliteAngelxX: **Thanks. I know you're still reading book one, but I thank you for the review of chapter two.

**Flamespirit-eth: **Thanks!

I have a small favour to ask the awesomeness reviewers. This series gets very little attention, so it would make me happy (or hyper) to get more reviewers. Also, with more reviews, I might update faster. Thanks!

Thank you to my awesome beta, **Mistytail**!

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**THOSE WHO HATE STRIPEPAW WILL LOVE THIS CHAPTER!!!**

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_**Allegiances**_

**ForestClan**

**Leader:**

Pantherstar—Yellow-cream she-cat with green eyes. Apprentice: Stripepaw.

**Deputy:**

Falconbeak—Brown tom with ginger flecks. Apprentice: Wolfpaw

**Medicine Cat:**

Silverdiamond—Silver-and-black she-cat. Apprentice: Rainpaw

**Warriors:**

Tigerpelt—Ginger tabby tom with green eyes. Foxclaw's mate. Apprentice: Lynxpaw

Hawktalon—Brown tom with sharp claws and a ginger tail. Apprentice: Acidpaw

Foxclaw—Ginger she-cat with white on the tip of her tail. Tigerpelt's mate.

Sharktooth—Silvery grey tom with black eyes and a white belly. Apprentice: Oceanpaw

Snakefang—Slim grey tabby whose canine teeth stick out onto his lower lip. Apprentice: Breezepaw

Lavaflame—Flame she-cat. Mistypaw, Oceanpaw, and Breezepaw's mother. Lionclaw's mate. Apprentice: Spotpaw.

**Queens:**

Hollythorn—Dark brown tabby. Stormkit and Indigokit's mother. Falconbeak's mate.

Feathersoul—Pale brown tabby she-cat with very soft fur and green eyes. Lightningkit and Soulkit's mother. Hawktalon's mate. Currently nursing Redkit and Lionkit.

**Kits:**

Stormkit—Quiet tabby she-cat with amber eyes.

Indigokit—Energetic dark gray tabby tom with indigo eyes.

Lightningkit—Yellow tom.

Soulkit—Peculiar pure white she-cat with odd silver eyes.

Redkit—Ginger she-cat with ice blue eyes. Mirror image of her father. Quite smart for her age.

Lionkit—Cream-colored tom with green eyes. Mirror image of Lionclaw. Loves to sleep.

**Apprentices:**

Acidpaw—Pitch-black tom with acid green eyes.

Spotpaw—Silver she cat with black spots.

Stripepaw—Gray tabby tom. Spotpaw's brother.

Wolfpaw—Silver she-cat.

Lynxpaw—Tortoishell she-cat.

Rainpaw—All grey she-cat with white stripes and white tail-tip and green eyes. Found in the rain near the river.

Oceanpaw—Sand she-cat with blue-green eyes.

Breezepaw—Pale grey tom with gentle grey eyes.

**Elders:**

Blindnose—Ginger tom. Oldest cat in ForestClan. He lost his sense of smell with age.

Goosefang—Ill-tempered white she-cat with a yellowish muzzle. The apprentices would've gone mad if Duckfoot wasn't there to keep her temper in check.

Duckfoot—White tom with slightly webbed toes. Goosefang's brother, as well as Pantherfur and Lionclaw's father.

**CanyonClan**

**Leader:**

Silentstar—Quiet golden she-cat with blue eyes. She is deaf, but can smell and see better than most cats. Some believe that she can read another's mind. She has been leader for seventeen seasons and still has six lives.

**Deputy:**

Roaringbreeze—Ambitious ginger tom with blazing blue eyes.

**Medicine Cat:**

none

**Warriors:**

Tornleaf—Rust-colored tom who is missing a chunk of his ear. Apprentice: Cherrypaw

Stormstreak—Gray tom. Apprentice: Dreampaw

Solarfur—Yellow tom. Apprentice: Dappledpaw

Coppersky—Golden brown tom with blue eyes. Apprentice: Summerpaw

Smokeleg—All-black tom with one grey leg. Apprentice: Rosepaw

Morningwind—Silver she-cat. Dreamkit, Rosekit, and Summerkit's mother. Tornleaf's mate.

**Queens**

Twistedcloud—White she-cat with a curled tail. Ivorykit and Whitekit's mother. Smokeleg's mate.

Goldenstream—Golden she-cat with blue eyes. Roaringbreeze's mate.

**Kits:**

Ivorykit—Off-white she-cat.

Whitekit—Smoke-colored she-cat with one white paw.

**Apprentices:**

Dappledpaw—Silvery-blue she cat with black markings and sky blue eyes.

Cherrypaw—Ginger she-cat.

Dreampaw—Silvery blue tom.

Rosepaw—Flame-colored she-cat.

Summerpaw—Tortoishell she-cat

**Elders**

Owlear—Brown tom. Both ears were torn off in a battle as an apprentice.

**PrairieClan**

**Leader:**

Blazingstar—Ginger tom with black ears and blue eyes.

**Deputy:**

Orangeear—Ginger tom with a slightly paler ear. Apprentice: Seapaw.

**Medicine Cat:**

Whitelily—All-white she cat with some gray markings. Apprentice: Oatpaw.

**Warriors:**

Honeystripe—Dark brown tom with one stripe of gold.

Gingerfeather—Long-furred ginger tom. Apprentice: Arcticpaw.

Blackfire—Black tom with orange eyes. Apprentice: Berrypaw

**Queens:**

Goldentail—Tortoishell she-cat with a golden tail. Goldwhisker's sister. Blackfire's mate. Violetkit and Tigerkit's mother. Also nursing Smallkit and Sleekkit.

Mapletail—White she-cat with a brown tail. Oatpaw and Berrypaw's mother. Honeystripe's mate. Also nursing Spottedkit, Rowankit, and Nightkit.

**Kits:**

Violetkit—Black she-cat with violet eyes.

Tigerkit—Ginger tabby with amber eyes.

Spottedkit—White she-cat with black spots.

Rowankit—Ginger she-cat with huge blue eyes.

Smallkit—Long-furred black she-cat with chocolate brown eyes.

Sleekkit—Silver she-cat with one stripe of black. A spitting image of her mother.

Nightkit—Black she-cat that takes on a blue tinge in the sun.

**Apprentices:**

Arcticpaw—White long-furred tom with yellow eyes.

Seapaw—Silvery-blue tom with a sand colored ear.

Oatpaw—Pale yellow tom.

Berrypaw—Brown tom with dark blue eyes.

**Elders:**

Reedheart—Pale brown she-cat. Joined the elders because she had her eyes clawed out by a falcon.

Copperfeather—Golden brown tom with long fur.

Spiderear—Off-white tom with one black ear.

Goldwhisker—Golden tom with golden whiskers. Retired because he can no longer use his leg properly.

**MountainClan**

**Leader**

Silverstar—Black tom with silver around his eyes.

**Deputy:**

Flameshadow—Ginger and black tom. Apprentice: Hawkpaw

**Medicine Cat:**

Scarletleaf—Ginger tom with green-blue eyes. Apprentice: Mangledpaw

**Warriors:**

Basilbrook—Dust colored tom with dark green eyes. Apprentice: Ivypaw

Topazpelt—Dark yellow tom.

Blackspot—All-white tom with one black spot. Apprentice: Hazelpaw

Owltail—Brown tom with white flecks. He has an extremely bushy tail. Apprentice: Hollypaw

Littlebreeze—Small gray tom. Apprentice: Mosspaw

Sandbelly—White she-cat with a sand-colored belly. Hollykit and Ivykit's mother. Topazpelt's mate.

**Queens:**

Marblewhisker—Tortoiseshell she-cat with black and white whiskers. Owltail's mate. Talonkit and Clawkit's mother.

Cloudface—Black she-cat with a white face. Flameshadow's mate.

Opalcloud—White she-cat with green-blue eyes. Basilbrook's mate.

**Kits:**

Talonkit—Tortoishell tom with yellow paws.

Clawkit—Brown tom with long fangs.

**Apprentices:**

Mangledpaw—Long-furred white tom with blue eyes. Littermate of Hazelpaw, Hawkpaw, and Mosspaw.

Hazelpaw—Dark brown she-cat with hazel eyes. Basilbrook and Opalcloud's daughter.

Hawkpaw—Long-furred brown tom. Basilbrook and Opalcloud's son.

Mosspaw—Long-furred tabby she-cat. Basilbrook and Opalcloud's daughter.

Ivypaw—Long-tailed yellow she-cat.

Hollypaw—Yellow tom with a ginger belly.

**Elders:**

Roughbreeze—Battered old tabby tom.

Wetfeather—Tabby tom. His name was chosen because he often acts like a bird with wet feathers. Grumpy.

Splashlily—White she-cat with blue eyes. There are a few gray markings here and there.

**StarClan**

Flowerheart— Golden she-cat with a mark in the shape of a daisy on her chest. Died of greencough.

Lizardfang— Gold and black tom with blazing orange eyes. Died of greencough.

Redstar—Ginger tom with blue eyes. Died of greencough

Oakstump—Grumpy honey-colored tom with a short tail. Was murdered.

Blueclaw—Gray tom whose claws were stained blue using berries. Acidpaw killed him.

Sleekbrook—Silver she-cat. Tigerfoot's mate. Died giving birth to her kits.

Tigerfoot—Ginger tabby with enormous paws. Ate deathberries.

Lionclaw—Pale cream tom. Pantherfur's half-brother. Former ForestClan deputy. Killed by a dog.

Shadelion—Black she-cat. She died saving Oceanpaw from a dog.

Sorrelstar—Tortoishell she-cat. Struck by lightning.

Duskfern—Dark brown tom. Died of old age.

Graykit—Ginger tabby she-cat with gray eyes. Died of hunger.

Flickerkit—Flame-colored she-cat with yellow splotches. Died of hunger.

**Cats Outside of Clans and Other Animals**

Mistypaw—White she-cat with a gray tail. Lives in the Small Woods.

Jaggedpaw—Tabby tom with a crooked tail. Fled from CanyonClan.

Quietpaw—Mute tabby she-cat. Her parents are dead. Her littermate disappeared. Exiled from MountainClan.

Freddy—Long-furred orange and white tom with amber eyes. A kittypet, but is recovering in ForestClan.

Seth—Doberman responsible for Freddy's injuries and the deaths of both Lionclaw and Shadelion.

The Badger—A vicious badger living on ForestClan territory.

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_**ForestClan: the Three Red Sons**_

**Chapter One**

**Blessed by StarClan?**

With a large hare hanging limply in his jaws, a black tom dragged his paws to the nursery. He hated going there.

He entered. To his surprise, the nursery was almost completely deserted. Only Redkit and Lionkit were there. The black tom groaned inwardly. Those two were the reasons he hated coming here. He avoided all contact possible with his kin. His problem was Pantherstar. She never spoke to him. In fact, she hardly seemed to spend time with her moon-old kits. The only family that she bothered speaking to were the black tom's brothers, Snakefang and Sharktooth.

Acidpaw glanced at his younger siblings. They seemed to be sleeping, so if he could just drop the hare for the queens and tiptoe quietly out of the nursery…

"Big brother?"

_Foxdung._

Acidpaw turned around. It was Redkit who spoke. Lionkit was still asleep.

"You're my big brother, right?"

Acidpaw nodded. "I guess."

"Why don't you ever come see us?" asked Redkit, her ice blue eyes wide in confusion, "I know I have Lionkit, but…"

"Isn't Pantherstar here? And where are the other queens and their kits?" asked Acidpaw, completely changing the subject.

"The others are playing at the Drinking Stream," Redkit scowled, "And as for Pantherstar, I really don't care. It's not like she's ever here. Feathersoul takes care of us."

Acidpaw blinked. He was sure he had met a cat like Redkit before, but he couldn't quite place it…

The black-furred apprentice suddenly remembered why he had come here in the first place. He placed the hare for the queens on the ground.

"When the queens get back, tell them that this is for them."

Redkit lifted her chin. "Why should I?" she snapped. She lowered her head, "I'm sorry… that was mean."

"It's okay."

The two of them were silent.

"You know… you really don't look like your parents."

The statement took Acidpaw by surprise.

"I mean, if Pantherstar and Redstar are your parents, then where did you get your black fur?"

_How does a moon-old kit come up with this stuff? _wondered Acidpaw.

"Snakefang and Sharktooth don't look like our parents," the black-furred apprentice pointed out.

"But Duckfoot, who is Pantherstar's father, is a tabby, like Snakefang. That explains the tabby coloring."

_Is this kit some kind of genius? _"And Sharktooth? He's solid gray. As far as I know, there aren't any gray cats in the family."

"And as far as I know, there aren't any black cats in the family," countered Redkit.

Acidpaw was about to say more when the deputy's voice interrupted.

"Acidpaw! Hurry up with those chores! You don't have all day!"

"Yes, Falconbeak," yowled Acidpaw, "Great StarClan, he's worse than Lionclaw! Doesn't he have an apprentice to train? At least I only have twenty-six sunrises of torture—I mean punishment—left."

Redkit giggled. "Come back soon, okay?"

Acidpaw nodded and left the nursery. Maybe Redkit wasn't so bad. He was sure she was blessed by StarClan.

_Medicine Cat den…_

Spotpaw sighed. It was so boring sitting in the Medicine Cat den all day. The kittypet hadn't even woken up yet. She wondered if he ever would. Spotpaw sighed again.

"Great StarClan, Spotpaw, you sound like the world is about to end!" exclaimed Rainpaw, who was changing the cobwebs on Spotpaw's injuries.

"I can't help it!" whined Spotpaw, "It's so boring here! There's nothing to do and no one to talk to!"

"And I'm just a load of foxdung?" meowed Rainpaw, pretending to sound hurt.

"Sorry. There's you to talk to," replied the spotted apprentice, "You've been swearing a lot more lately."

Rainpaw laughed. "I guess Acidpaw's rubbing off on me!"

_Elder's den…_

Acidpaw sneezed.

"I hope you aren't coming down with whitecough," meowed Blindnose in concern.

"I hope not," replied Acidpaw, "But maybe I am. Foxdung."

"You hope what?" asked Blindnose, confused, "And watch you language. An apprentice shouldn't say those filthy words!"

Acidpaw sighed. How in StarClan's name could the other elders put up with Blindnose?

"Foxdung…"

"Hey! I said watch your language!"

_Medicine Cat den…_

"Anyways, your wounds are almost completely healed, so I think Silverdiamond is going to let you resume training soon."

"Thank StarClan! I wonder how training with Lavaflame is going to be," wondered Spotpaw.

"I have no idea. Anyways, I need to restock on some herbs before the frost kills all the plants. See you later!"

"Bye Rainpaw!"

The white-furred Medicine cat apprentice padded out of camp. The best herbs grew in the Small Woods. It would be a good opportunity to visit Mistypaw, who had decided to stay there.

_Flashback_

"_Mistypaw," meowed Pantherstar's voice, "Rainpaw."_

_The two she-cats exchanged a glance. Why was Pantherstar summoning them? They stepped into Pantherstar's den. She was lying in her nest, covered in many cobwebs. Her kits had been taken to Feathersoul, who had volunteered to look after them while the leader was recovering from her fight with the dog._

"_Something's been on my mind lately," she looked at Mistypaw, "How is it that you're alive from the badger attack all those moons ago?"_

_Rainpaw could hardly remember the badger attack. She had been quite young as well._

"_I'm not entirely sure," replied Mistypaw, "My eyes weren't open yet."_

_Pantherstar thought for a moment. "Then how did you end up in CanyonClan?"_

"_Well… I think I know, but it just sounds so crazy and unlikely…" Mistypaw told Pantherstar what she had told Spotpaw a moon ago._

"_I hate to say it, but it's possible," meowed Pantherstar, "I'd report it at the Gathering, but then they'd ask for proof…"_

"_But I __**am**__ proof!" exclaimed Mistypaw, "I'm sure that Roaringbreeze stole me!"_

"_I know. But there's one problem. The other Clans are convinced that you helped in the murder of Oakstump. If I mention you, then they'd think that ForestClan was in league with a killer."_

_Pantherstar was right. Nothing good would come out of Mistypaw being mentioned at the Gathering._

"_We have to find another way to prove it," meowed Rainpaw, "Have there been any missing kits lately?"_

_Pantherstar shook her head. "I have no idea. You could probably ask the elders. They get gossip from every Clan."_

_The two apprentices nodded._

"_If you find anything, report to me immediately."_

"_Yes Panterstar."_

_Mistypaw and Rainpaw immediately started asking around._

"_Recent missing kits, eh?" meowed Blindnose, "I remember that a blind PrairieClan queen lost one of her kits roughly six moons ago. Her mate—I think his name was Spottystripe or something like that—died before they were born, so she had no idea what her kits looked like."_

_The apprentices exchanged a glance. Six moons was roughly the same time as Mistypaw was stolen._

"_I wouldn't trust Blindnose's memory," meowed Goosefang, "But in this case, he's right. The queen's name is Reedheart. Her eyes were clawed out by a falcon. Her mate's name was Dapplestripe, not Spottystripe, Blindnose you twit!"_

"_Who's mate?" asked Blindnose, confused._

"_ARE YOU DOING THIS ON PURPOSE?!"_

"_Doing what?"_

"_AAAUUUGH!!!"_

"_Are you in pain, Goosefang?"_

"_AHHHH!! JUST BE QUIET YOU OLD MOUSEBRAIN!"_

"_What did I say?"_

_By the time the elders were finished arguing, Mistypaw and Rainpaw had already gone to report to Pantherstar._

"_Good work," praised the leader. She turned to Rainpaw, "You will speak to Reedheart at the next Gathering."_

"_But Pantherstar," meowed the Medicine Cat apprentice, "We don't know for sure if Reedheart will be at the Gathering or not!"_

_Pantherstar was silent for a moment. "She'll be there."_

_Mistypaw shifted her paws nervously. "Pantherstar?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_I've been thinking… What if a cat from another Clan came here for whatever reason? What if they saw me and the word spread around? ForestClan might be put in danger. I don't want that," Mistypaw looked up, "For that reason, I've decided to go back to the Small Woods."_

_End Flashback_

That conversation was a quarter moon ago. The Gathering was tonight. Rainpaw entered the Small Woods, looking for Mistypaw.

_PrairieClan Leader's den…_

"Blazingstar!"

A ginger tom with ice blue eyes turned around. He didn't particularly want to speak to anyone at the moment. He had just finished yelling at the queens for not wanting to feed Sleekbrook's kits. Because of that, Flickerkit had died. Blazingstar had told them that he would throw them out of PrairieClan if they didn't take care of the others. The queens would feed Sleekbrook's kits now, but it made him angry to see that they were doing so out of fear.

"What is it Orangeear?" he asked.

"The ForestClan leader is at the river. She says she needs to speak with you," meowed the orange tom with one slightly paler ear, "Honeystripe and Gingerfeather are with her."

Blazingstar's black ears twitched. "Bring her here."

The deputy bowed his head. "Right away."

_Pantherstar, huh? _thought Blazingstar, _She must have a good reason if she came all away across the river._

Pantherstar's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Greetings, Blazingstar," she meowed.

"Hello Pantherstar. What brings you here?"

"One of ForestClan's apprentices may have uncovered a plot concerning the two kits that disappeared from PrairieClan and ForestClan six moons ago."

Blazingstar's whiskers twitched.

"Please make sure that Reedheart is at tonight's Gathering."

The PrairieClan leader looked puzzled, but nodded.

"Speaking of kits, how is your second litter?"

"They're fine, but…"

"But what?" urged Blazingstar.

"My duties as Clan leader don't let me take care of them. Feathersoul has been kind enough to nurse them along with Soulkit and Lightningkit."

"Feathersoul has always had a kind heart, hasn't she?"

"Yes."

The two Clan leaders were silent for a moment.

"I'm worried that they'll grow up hating me because I was never there," meowed Pantherstar, "Already, Redkit seems to glare at me whenever I pass."

"Redkit? I suppose it's because he looks just like his father."

"She," corrected Pantherstar, "And her brother is called Lionkit."

Blazingstar's gaze softened. "I heard about Lionclaw last Gathering, and Shadelion too."

"Shadelion was so young! What right did StarClan have to force her to join their ranks so soon after her father? Now I can't even look at my own kits because they are mirror images of the ones StarClan have taken away from me!"

"I know how you feel…" muttered Blazingstar, thinking of a certain she-cat.

Pantherstar turned to leave.

"I have to return to my Clan now. The Gathering is soon. Don't forget about Reedheart."

"I won't," promised the PrairieClan leader, "Panth?"

"Yes?"

"In exchange for me bringing Reedheart to the Gathering, make sure **he** is there."

Pantherstar was silent for a moment. "Very well."

The ForestClan leader stepped out of the den. Blazingstar watched her go, remembering the days when they were best friends, until that day he fled far from the trees.

_Small Woods…_

"Thanks for your help, Mistypaw," meowed Rainpaw.

Mistypaw set down a bundle of herbs. "Anytime."

"I think I can make it to camp myself. See you later!"

"Bye! Good luck at the Gathering!"

"Thanks!"

Rainpaw took the enormous bundle of herbs in her jaws, careful not to drop any, and headed back towards camp.

"Need help with that?" asked a voice.

A tabby tom with orange eyes stepped out of the trees.

Rainpaw groaned inwardly. _Stripepaw!_

"Do you need help with that?" repeared Stripepaw.

Rainpaw shook her head. Stripepaw walked next to her.

Suddenly, Rainpaw tripped over a root. The herbs fell from her mouth and scattered on the forest floor, which was, as luck would have it, muddy. The herbs were now unusable.

"Rainpaw! Are you alright?" asked Stripepaw worriedly.

_He could have told me there was a root! It's kind of hard to miss! _"Yes, I'm fine, but the herbs aren't. Silverdiamond is going to kill me!"

"It's okay. We'll go get some more. I'll help you."

"I don't need any help. I can go myself."

Rainpaw rose to her paws, stumbling. The paw that had been caught in the root was sore.

"Are you hurt? Maybe you should go back to camp and have Silverdiamond look at that paw. Lean on me, I'll help you walk."

"Nothing's broken," assured Rainpaw, flexing her claws, "I'm okay."

"Rainpaw, I really think that you should go back."

"I'm a Medicine Cat. I think I can justify whether I need treatment or not."

"Please, Rainpaw, just in case."

"STRIPEPAW! SHUT UP! I'M A STARCLAN-FORSAKEN MEDICINE CAT! I CAN TAKE CARE OF MYSELF! INSTEAD OF HANGING AROUND ME, WHY DON'T YOU FIND SOMEONE WHO HONESTLY CARES ABOUT YOU! OPEN YOUR EYES! THERE'S A CAT RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU THAT ACTUALLY WANTS TO BE YOUR FRIEND, SO WHY DON'T YOU GIVE HER A CHANCE AND **LEAVE ME ALONE!**" shrieked Rainpaw. Stripepaw sat there, shuddering, "WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! SCRAM!"

"Yes, ma'am," babbled Stripepaw, sprinting away.

Rainpaw sighed in relief. He was finally gone. Maybe he wouldn't come back this time. As Rainpaw returned to the Small Woods, her relief slipped away. Something bad was going to happen soon, she could feel it.

_MountainClan Medicine Cat den…_

"I don't understand, Mangledpaw, why did you side with Hawkpaw? What he was saying was complete foxdung! Foxdung! Quietpaw was innocent!"

Mangledpaw's gaze was fixed on the ground. He had been avoiding his mentor all moon, but he had finally been cornered. "He's my brother, Scarletleaf."

"So am I! I'm just older."

The white-furred apprentice looked like he was going to say something more, but stopped, choosing to ignore his brother's questioning looks. He left the Medicine Cat den without another word, glancing once over his shoulder at Scarletleaf, who had a look of pure disgust on his face.

A long-furred brown tom stepped in front of Mangledpaw.

"Hi Hawkpaw," muttered Mangledpaw, obviously nervous.

"I saw that, Mangledpaw," sneered Hawkpaw, "Remember our deal. One little slip-up, and your precious secret is out."

Mangledpaw nodded and backed into the apprentice den.

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There ya go. Stripepaw got yelled at and Mangledpaw is hiding something. Now… REVIEW!!


	2. Nightmares and the Truth of Reedheart

**Disclaimer: **

**Me: **… Must we go over this again?

**Acidpaw**It doesn't look like they'll be receiving a brain anytime soon, so obviously yes.

**Me: **Aww Acidpaw! That was mean! Oh Moooooooooonstaaaaaaaaaaaar!

**Acidpaw: **Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo…!

**Moonstar: **(hugs Acidpaw)

**Acidpaw: **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!

**Flamespirit-eth, leaf in the breeze, and Mintytooth:** …

**Me: **I do not own Warriors! Oh lookie! There's Mangledpaw being hugged by my beta!

**Mangledpaw: **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!

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Thanks to my super fantabulous beta, **Mistytail**!!!

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**Flamespirit-eth: **Thanks for the review! The only problem with making long chapters is that if you don't update quickly enough, you get made into ice cube stew… (glances nervously at Seth)

**Mintytooth: **Hey, you're right! Almost every cat is hiding something! Yep… Stripepaw definitely had that coming. I most definitely have plans for Redkit… she is special indeed… Muahahahaha… Thanks for reviewing!

**leaf in the breeze: **Are you one of those people who kept on reading Book One but didn't review? … Aw, it doesn't matter. I can see you're a huge fan of Stripepaw. (insert sarcasm here). Thanks for the review!

**Moonstar of FireClan: **School is to blame for everything that goes wrong in the world. Yessss… Hawkpaw is actually quite smart, and just like you said, oh-so-evil! Thanks for reviewing!

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**Chapter Two**

**Nightmares and the Truth of Reedheart**

Lionkit loved to sleep. He'd rather sleep than play, contrary to the other kits in the nursery. Redkit complained about that, but he taught himself how to sleep through his sister's rantings.

Sometimes he remembered what he had dreamt about the night before. It wasn't about StarClan or prophecies or anything like that, but he still liked it. He had yet to experience a nightmare, and was relieved that he had not had one yet. His relief was short-lived.

_It was dark. Lionkit couldn't see very well. There were very tall trees. Lionkit looked up. He couldn't even see the sky. The kit hesitantly took a step forward._

"_Hello?" he called warily._

"_Hello."_

_Lionkit spun around, expecting a tough Warrior. What he saw instead scared him more than any predator. It was himself. It was almost as if he were staring at his reflection. Lionkit stared at 'himself'. The copy cat stared back._

_There was something different about the reflection._

This can't be me!_ thought Lionkit, _Do I really look that evil?

_Lionkit spotted the difference. It was his copy's eyes. Redkit told him that he had green eyes. The eyes of the cat in front of him were an eerie white. Not silver, like Soulkit's eyes, but pure white._

_The white-eyed cat's pupils were different too. They were narrowed into tiny slits, as in, just a vertical line. Even if a cat was looking directly into the sun, their pupils wouldn't be that small. Normally, Lionkit knew, a cats pupils were big when there wasn't much light. This cat's eyes were weird, Lionkit concluded, and therefore it couldn't possibly be him._

"_Who are you?" asked Lionkit._

_The white-eyed cat grinned, revealing teeth sharper than any normal cat's could ever be._

"_I am you," whispered the white-eyed cat. His voice was identical to Lionkit's._

"_No!" yowled Lionkit._

_He turned away from the white-eyed cat and ran through the trees, not having a clue where he was going.__ He heard the white-eyed cat's laughter echoing through this dark forest._

_Lionkit came to a stop in a clearing. He couldn't hear the white-eyed cat anymore.__ He then realized how thirsty he was. Luckily, there was a pond in the clearing._

_Lionkit crouched down to drink, but before he __could lap up any water, something caught his eye. It was his reflection._

_Pantherstar's son desperately tried to look away, but__ he found himself unable to._

_Lionkit's reflection stared at him, his green eyes fading into white. The reflection's pupils narrowed into slits and multiple battle scars appeared on his head and chest. Long cream-colored fur turned to black. The reflection opened his mouth filled with bear-like teeth and said three words._

"_I am you."_

Lionkit woke up screaming. Redkit glared at him.

"Be quiet! Do you want to wake up the entire nursery?" she snapped.

"S-sorry…" Lionkit was shivering from nose to tail in fear.

Redkit's gaze softened. "It's alright."

"Look! Panthestar's about to say who's going to the Gathering," mewed Lightningkit, "Let's go watch!"

"Yeah!" agreed Soulkit.

Lionkit, Redkit, and Soulkit followed Lightningkit to the edge of the nursery. The entire Clan was gathered around the Treestump.

"As you all know, the Gathering is tonight," started Pantherstar.

"Duh," growled Redkit quietly, "Even a newborn kit missing half its brain would know that."

"Shh!" hissed Lightningkit.

"The cat's attending the Gathering will be myself, Falconbeak, Silverdiamond, Rainpaw, Stripepaw, Wolfpaw, Hawktalon, and Acidpaw."

Redkit frowned. "That's odd."

"What?" asked Soulkit.

"Acidpaw told me that he was under punishment and couldn't leave camp for another twenty-six sunrises," replied the ginger she-kit.

"Is twenty-six a big number?" asked Lightningkit.

"Yeah, obviously! You can't count to twenty-six yet?"

"I can count to ten, because that's how many claws there are on our front paws," meowed Lightningkit.

"I can count to twenty! That's how many claws there are on all four of our paws!" bragged Soulkit.

"In my day," Blindnose's voice broke in, "We kits learned to count by counting old Manyclaw's toes, an elder of the past. He had seven toes on each foot, adding up to twenty-six."

"You mean twenty-eight," corrected Redkit, "Four paws with seven toes is twenty-eight toes."

"That's what I said, no?" asked Blindnose.

Redkit rolled her eyes and returned to Feathersoul's nest.

_Why does this matter? _wondered Lionkit. He followed his sister.

Finally Goosefang came along and dragged Blindnose back to the elders' den. Feathersoul's kits came back to her nest and eventually dozed off, all except for Lionkit. For the first time in his short life, he could not fall asleep.

_Gathering Island…_

Acidpaw was confused. Why was he being sent to the Gathering? It just didn't make sense. His punishment wasn't over yet. Not that it mattered. At least he was out of camp. He was sick of Falconbeak ordering him around.

Rainpaw walked next to Silverdiamond. Tonight she had to speak to Reedheart. The Medicine Cat apprentice glanced at Stripepaw, who walked with his head down, seeming to be lost in thought.

_He's probably wondering which cat likes him, _thought Rainpaw, remembering their 'argument'.

She looked at Wolfpaw. The silver she-cat was also walking with her head down, glancing every now and then at Stripepaw.

"We're here," meowed Silverdiamond.

Rainpaw looked up. They had just reached the Gathering Island. The Medicine Cat apprentice took a deep breath. Now she needed to find Reedheart. There was a mob of PrairieClan cats sitting near the Great Log. Rainpaw remembered that Reedheart fur was pale brown. There weren't any cats that looked like that in the group.

_Maybe she isn't here, _thought Rainpaw.

"Hey. You're Rainpaw, right?"

Rainpaw spun around. An enormous ginger tom with black ears stood in front of her. It was Blazingstar, leader of PrairieClan. What did he want with her?

"Y-yes. That's me."

"Reedheart is a few foxlengths behind you. She has scars on both her eyes. You can't miss her," whispered Blazingstar. With that, he turned and leaped up onto the Great Log.

"Why'd he tell me that?" wondered Rainpaw, "And how did he know I was looking for her?"

Rainpaw turned around. There was Reedheart. The Medicine Cat apprentice approached her. Reedheart visibly stiffened and she unsheathed her claws.

_That's right! _thought Rainpaw, mentally smacking herself, _Reedheart can't see me, but she can smell me! She has no idea who I am!_

"Hi. Are you Reedheart?" asked Rainpaw.

"Yes. Who are you? I can't see you."

"I'm Rainpaw, ForestClan's Medicine Cat apprentice."

"Oh. Why did you want to talk to me? You'd better not be teasing me about my eyesight!" snarled Reedheart.

"No! Not at all!" Rainpaw was shocked. What kind of cat was so cruel that they would tease someone about being blind?

"Then what do you want?"

"I… heard that one of your kits went missing… I—"

"Don't talk about that!" hissed Reedheart, "I know that I'm a bad mother for letting one of my own kits disappear right from under my nose! You don't have to rub it in!"

"That's not what I meant!"

"Sure it isn't," snapped the blind cat, "Why else would you be talking to me?"

"I—"

"Leave me be!"

"Mother! Stop it!" a third voice cut in.

Rainpaw turned around. A pure-white tom with amber eyes was bristling angrily.

"Arcticpaw! Stay out of this!"

"Mother, stop it. The Gathering is about to start and other cats are looking at you oddly."

"This bratty apprentice is teasing me!" protested Reedheart.

"No she isn't." There was a fourth voice. It was Blazingstar. He turned to Arcticpaw, "Arcticpaw, please take your mother back to camp. Rainpaw, you can go with them. I'll tell your mentor where you are."

Rainpaw blinked. "Okay…"

Arcticpaw placed his tail on his mother's shoulder to guide her. "Come on," he meowed.

The Medicine Cat apprentice followed the two PrairieClan cats of the Island.

"There's the log. Steady and follow, or you'll end up in the water," directed the white PrairieClan apprentice.

"You're so lucky to have a log to cross on!" exclaimed Rainpaw, "Every time we come here, our paws always get wet!"

"It's one of the great things about being in PrairieClan," meowed Arcticpaw.

They finally reached PrairieClan camp entrance.

"I can go the rest of the way myself," meowed Reedheart, "Now go back to the Gathering."

"Yes, mother," replied the white tom.

He and Rainpaw turned around.

"What were you asking my mother about anyways?" asked Arcticpaw.

"I wanted to know what happened to her kit that went missing," replied Rainpaw, "I didn't expect her to react like that."

Arcticpaw sighed. "Sorry for the trouble."

"It's alright."

"She wouldn't have been much help anyways," continued the white tom, "She was already blind when my sister and I were born, so she had no idea what we looked like. My father and uncle died two moons after my mother found out she was expecting kits, so they weren't around either. Blazingstar had to come and describe what I looked like so that my mother could name me."

"What about your sister?" asked Rainpaw.

"She was kitnapped before we were named. My eyes were still closed so I didn't know what she looked like either. I was only fourteen sunrises old. But I do remember one thing. It was definitely a CanyonClan cat that took her. I remember their scent."

"Roaringbreeze…" whispered Rainpaw.

"What? I couldn't hear you."

"Thank you so much, Arcticpaw!"

With that, Rainpaw raced back towards the Gathering Island.

"What did I say?" wondered Arcticpaw.

_We have proof! _thought the Medicine Cat apprentice triumphantly, _We can prove that CanyonClan stole kits!_

Rainpaw stepped through the trees. The Gathering was over and most cats were going back to camp.

"Where have you been?" asked a voice, "You were gone for most of the Gathering."

Rainpaw jumped.

"Oh hi, Acidpaw!" she meowed cheerfully.

"Where have you been?" the black-furred apprentice repeated.

"Nowhere," lied Rainpaw.

"Sure you were," replied Acidpaw sarcastically.

"You seem awfully concerned."

"What?"

"If I didn't know any better, I'd have thought that you were worried about me," teased Rainpaw.

Acidpaw's fur burned in embarrassment. He was thankful for his black pelt, which hid the pink tinge of his ears.

"As if," he muttered.

"Hey, guys!" Rainpaw turned around, Mangledpaw was behind them. "So how's Mistypaw?" he meowed sofly.

"Fine." replied Rainpaw. "Why do you want to know?"

"No reason. No reason at all."

"Right…" Acidpaw meowed.

Mangledpaw lowered his head, and Rainpaw swore she saw a tinge of pink at Mangledpaw's ears.

"Pantherstar and the others are leaving now," meowed Rainpaw, changing the subject, "We should go. Don't want to get left behind."

"Me too," added Mangledpaw, "Silverstar gets weird when part of his Clan is missing. See ya!"

"Bye Mangledpaw! I'll be sure to tell Mistypaw that you say hi!" teased the ForestClan Medicine Cat apprentice.

Mangledpaw shot a glare at the she-cat before leaving to join his Clan.

Rainpaw scampered away and caught up to Wolfpaw.

Acidpaw watched her go. He turned to leave as well.

"Wait."

The black tom turned around.

"Yes?"

"You're Acidpaw, right?"

The ForestClan apprentice nodded.

"I'm Blazingstar."

"I know."

Blazingstar laughed. "I thought you might. How's the Clan?"

Acidpaw's eyes narrowed. "If you think I'm mousebrained enough to tell you all of the details and secrets of ForestClan, then you're wrong."

"I like your attitude. No one will ever be able to pry secrets from you. You'll make a fantastic Warrior. Maybe you'll even have the chance of being deputy."

"I highly doubt that. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to catch up to my Clan."

Acidpaw turned around and left. Blazingstar stared after him. The PrairieClan leader shook his head in amazement.

"Great StarClan, he looks just like his mother."

_ForestClan leader__'s den…_

Pantherstar shook her head. "Incredible."

Rainpaw had just told the Clan leader what she had found out from Arcticpaw during the Gathering.

"We can prove that CanyonClan stole kits now," meowed Rainpaw.

"Not quite yet."

The Medicine Cat apprentice looked up at Pantherstar in shock.

"Why not?"

"Arcticpaw's sister is just one small bit of evidence. CanyonClan will wonder why ForestClan accused them if the kit they stole is from PrairieClan."

"What about Mistypaw?"

"I don't know. If she is willing to present herself at the next Gathering, then we will accuse CanyonClan then," answered the cream-colored she-cat, "But keep in mind, she might not want to come. The other Clans still see her as a murderer and might kill her on sight, truce or not."

"Then what do we do? We're at a dead end."

"You need to ask Mistypaw if she wishes to attend the next Gathering. But before you do that, get some rest. It's past dawn now, and you need to sleep."

Rainpaw dipped her head respectfully. "Yes Pantherstar."

The Medicine Cat apprentice turned and left the den. The dawn patrol had left awhile ago. She set foot in the apprentice den. Stripepaw, Acidpaw, and Wolfpaw were all curled up in separate corners. The other apprentices were most likely on the dawn patrol or out training.

"It's nice that the apprentice den is nearly empty."

Rainpaw jumped. "Wolfpaw! I thought you were asleep."

The silver she-cat shook her head. "The apprentice den is going to be crammed soon. Indigokit and Stormkit are going to be apprentices in one moon. There are nearly no mentors left for them. Pantherstar better hurry up and make some of us Warriors."

Rainpaw sighed. "I know what you mean." She glanced at Acidpaw. She only had three moons to convince Pantherstar that he should be a Warrior.

Acidpaw opened one green eye. "Shut up, you two. Some of us are trying to sleep."

"Sorry," whispered the she-cats.

Rainpaw padded over to her nest and curled up.

_ForestClan nursery…_

Redkit stepped into the sunlight. This was the first time Feathersoul had allowed her out of the nusery. Sure, she and Lionkit had snuck out plenty of times before, but now she could leave the nursery without feeling a pang of guilt.

"It's really nice out…" whispered Redkit. She turned to her brother, "Don't you think so too?"

Lionkit nodded and yawned. The ginger she-cat frowned.

"You look awful, Lionkit!"

The cream-colored tom yawned again. "I didn't sleep too well."

Redkit stared at him.

"What?"

"Imagine that… Lionkit, not sleeping well. Who are you, and what have you done to the real Lionkit?"

"Oh, be quiet."

"Well, well," sneered a voice, "If it isn't the little kits!"

Redkit and Lionkit spun around.

"Indigokit!" spat Redkit, "What do **you** want?"

"Nothing," mewed the dark gray tabby tom in false innocence, "I was just wondering what little kitties are doing out of the nursery."

"You're just jealous because you never had the guts to sneak out of the nursery when you were younger!" snapped Redkit, "I won't take any bullying from a _Moma's boy_!"

"What did you say?!" growled Indigokit, "Take that back, you stupid kits!"

"I have no part in this…" muttered Lionkit. Neither cats heard him.

"You're calling us kits?" snarled Redkit, "You aren't out of the nursery either, mousebrain! Therefore, you are still a kit! Look at you, swaggering around, pretending to be better than the rest of us! I wouldn't talk, _Moma's Boy_!"

"Take that back!"

"Never!"

"Take it back!"

"No!"

Lionkit sighed. It was the same story, every day. Those two were constantly at each other's throats.

"I'll be an apprentice in less than a moon, and when that happens, I'll be the best Warrior this forest has ever seen!"

"You? A Warrior? All I can picture is you tripping over your own paws and scaring every bit of prey from here to the Gathering Island!"

"I'll be the best Warrior ever, you'll see! Acidpaw will become a Warrior, and then he'll be my mentor!"

"Never! Acidpaw would take me as an apprentice!"

"What! Ridiculous! I'm obviously the better Warrior!"

"Acidpaw's my brother! He'd much rather train me than some little brat!"

"**You're** calling **me** little? I think you should go and look at your refection, you pint-sized speck of red!"

"Pint-sized?" roared Redkit, "Yeah? Well tell me what kind of freakish cat has indigo eyes?"

"Me!"

"Ha! See? You're admitting that you're a freak!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

Stormkit listened to her brother argue with Redkit. Those two were nearly the same. They were much two energetic. She blinked her expressionless amber eyes.

"Um… Indigokit?"

"What?!"

"Sheesh… calm down."

"Can't you see that I'm busy here?!"

"You don't need to yell at me!"

"Yeah, Indigokit," Lionkit cut in angrily, "Be nice to your own sister!"

Indigokit's eyes softened. "You're right. Sorry, Stormkit."

"I don't need your pity!" snarled Stormkit. She turned tail and entered the nursery, stumbling over a root near the entrance.

"Good going, mousebrain," hissed Lionkit.

Indigokit flattened his ears. "None of you understand… Stormkit, wait!"

"That fox dung!" spat Lionclaw's look-alike, glaring at the spot Indigokit where had been standing before going after Stormkit, "How dare he be so cruel to you and Stormkit!"

Redkit shrugged. "Come on, Lionkit! Let's go see Acidpaw!"

Lionkit followed his sister, still fuming about how mean Indigokit was to Stormkit and Redkit.

_Nursery…_

"Stormkit?" called the dark gray tabby tom.

"What?" replied Stormkit coldly.

"I'm sorry… I'm not sure what I did, but I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you and all, but I've yelled at you before and you've never been so angry."

"It's alright. I overreacted, I guess. I've been thinking, lately… what if someone besides us finds out? They'll never let me be an apprentice, let alone a Warrior!"

Indigokit rested the tip of his tail on Stormkit's shoulder. "No one will ever know," he meowed, "You'll be a Warrior, just like I will be. We'll be the most fearsome fighters in the four Clans! Your secret will never get out."

"You promise?"

"I promise, Stormkit, it's your brother's honour."

_Twoleg path near the river…_

A tabby she-cat walked silently along the Twoleg path. This was a free zone, where no cat could accuse her of being on their territory.

_This isn't fair, _she thought, _I have never done any harm to anyone, nor would I want to! I'm just going to die here, aren't I? Leaf-bare is coming and the last thing I ate was crowfood lying on the side of the path three sunrises ago._

The tabby she-cat's ribs were showing. She had been hiding near the path for nearly a moon now. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

_Maybe this is for the best, _she thought, _They take me for an idiot. They always have. I'm not stupid. I just can't talk. I've never been that important in the Clan. Father died three moons before my birth, and I was told that Uncle died the day I was born, as well as my Mother, Pureheart, and my nameless brother or sister._

The tabby she-cat's uncle was the Clan deputy, and as his burial as well as his sister's was taking place, the nursery had been left unguarded. When the queen that was meant to take care of the two orphaned kits returned to the nursery, only one kit remained, and that was the tabby she-cat.

She hardly remembered the early sunrises of her life, but she still remembered the cries of her sibling as he or she was taken away, as well as a strong dose of CanyonClan scent.

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Hmmm… dun dun dun!!! What's going to happen now? Review please. And those who have this story on alert, but aren't reviewing, I know who you are! Dun dun dun!!!


	3. Tradition of the First SnowFall

**Disclaimer: **…

**A/N: **This is a filler chapter. I need to waste some time. Sorry. Though this chapter isn't a complete waste of time. There are a few important things in this chapter, so pay attention.

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**Flamespirit-eth: **Thanks! -gives you cookie- I seriously have no idea how to enable anonymous reviewers. I feel so stupid. PM me please. Thanks.

**Mintytooth: **Indeed, another cat is hiding something. You shall soon find out who that tabby is, though Moonstar has already guessed correctly. The cat that is a causing Lionkit's nightmare is… I can't tell you. But it is a very interesting cat.

**GoldenFox13: **Thanks:) Though I'm curious to know why you didn't review why you didn't review the previous story. Oh well. It doesn't matter.

**Moonstar of FireClan: **I like to confuse my readers! -grins- Indigokit has some… issues at the moment. Just what kind of issues shall be revealed soon. You've assumed correctly. The tabby she-cat will most likely play a large part in the story. I like Blazingstar too. There are definite reasons as to why his personality is so mysterious… which, like everything else, will be revealed later. Poor Pantherstar has issues too. Acidpaw's pretty mad about that too. Acidpaw's is definitely still planning to leave when Rainpaw's time is up… Rainpaw better hurry! Thanks for the super awesome review!

**Speaker of the Dragons: **Thanks! I'm glad you liked it. Some of the chapters are a bit unclear, I know. I have a few chapters that were not beta-ed.

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HUGE THANKS TO MY FANTASTIC SUPER-BETA, **MISTYTAIL**, FOR GIVING GREAT IDEAS WITH THIS CHAPTER!!!

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**Chapter Three**

**The Tradition of the First Snow-Fall**

"Acidpaw! Acidpaw! Wake up!"

The black-furred apprentice blinked open his acid green eyes.

"What is it?" he moaned, "What do you want, Rainpaw?"

"Get up! There's a Clan meeting!" boomed the she-cat's voice, "But that's less important. It snowed! Get up! Hurry!"

Acidpaw knew she had left because he heard her claws scraping on the floor of the Apprentice Den. The apprentice heaved himself to his paws. He hated snow. It was too cold.

The entire Clan was gathered at the Treestump.

"Cats of ForestClan," meowed Pantherstar, "Leaf-bare has arrived."

"We can tell," grumbled Acidpaw to himself.

"This is the first snowfall. Today, all the apprentices will have the day off, and all punishments will be lifted until sunset."

Most of the senior Warriors laughed. Pantherstar's eyes gleamed with joy as well.

"The Warriors who have been here during ForestClan's leadership under Redstar know that the Tradition of the First Snow-Fall has been carried out ever since Flamestar was made leader many moons ago," explained Pantherstar, seeing the confused look on the apprentices' faces, "Falconbeak will arrange a hunting patrol and dawn patrol. The rest of you are free to take the day off unless you are called for a border patrol."

All of the apprentices cheered and raced off in different directions.

Acidpaw turned around slowly. He finally had a day away from his punishment. What was he going to do with his day? He didn't have any chores, since he had taken care of cleaning the elders' den the night before.

The black-furred apprentice suddenly received a shower of snow in his face. He hissed angrily. Who in StarClan's name had the nerve to shove snow at him?

"Come on Acidpaw!" yowled Rainpaw's voice gleefully, brushing the snow off his face with her tail, "Loosen up!"

Acidpaw growled and turned away, his ears drooping. He heard Rainpaw coming closer to him.

_Perfect, _thought Acidpaw, _Just what I wanted her to do…_

"Acidpaw, are you—" started Rainpaw. A cascade of snow stopped her abruptly, temporarily blinding her. The last thing she saw before snow was the smirk on Acidpaw's face.

Rainpaw shook her head angrily, clearing the white powder. "Snow fight!" she howled.

Acidpaw was nowhere to be seen, but cats all around camp were flinging snow at each other.

The Medicine Cat apprentice dashed out of camp. Where was that annoying acid-eyed…

Rainpaw couldn't come up with an insult for Acidpaw because before she had time to think, a large pile of snow stopped all movement. She poked her head out of the snowdrift. She was immobilized. Rainpaw looked up into a nearby tree. Acidpaw's lithe black-furred form was standing triumphantly on a branch that had previously held snow on it.

Rainpaw snarled. "That was a cheap trick!" she fumed.

"Loosen up," mocked Acidpaw, leaping out of the tree and sprinting off.

"Wait till I get out of here, you little—pipsqueak!"

Acidpaw never heard her. He was too busy running for dear life. Angry she-cats were not pleasant to deal with.

Rainpaw was stuck.

"How humiliating…" she muttered, her ears turning slightly pink.

"You stuck?"

"Mistypaw!" exclaimed Rainpaw happily.

Mistypaw started to dig her out.

"I was pretty freaked out when I woke up this morning," meowed the silver-tailed she-cat, "I've never seen snow before. CanyonClan migrates to the desert when it starts to get cold."

Rainpaw laughed. She was finally able to move her legs again. "Thanks Mistypaw. I have to go get Acidpaw back for that one!"

Mistypaw looked at Rainpaw in surprise. "**Acidpaw** got you stuck? I was assuming that it was Oceanpaw or Lynxpaw!"

"I shoved some snow in his face first thing in the morning. He was just trying to get me back for it," explained Rainpaw.

The former CanyonClan cat's eyes narrowed. "You seem to be hanging around him a lot more lately. Be careful. Remember, a Medicine Cat—"

"I've heard it plenty of times," Rainpaw cut in, "Acidpaw is just a friend, nothing more. I'm not even sure if he sees me as a friend. I'm probably more of an acquaintance."

"Right. I understand," meowed Mistypaw. She glanced around nervously, "I have to go. Things to do. See you later!"

"Bye!" replied Rainpaw.

_Odd… Being a loner, she couldn't have anything much to do…_

Rainpaw suddenly remembered that she had to get Acidpaw back for letting a snowdrift fall on her.

The Medicine Cat apprentice growled. "I'll get you!"

_Medicine Cat den…_

Silverdiamond looked at the kittypet's sleeping form. He had been unconscious for nearly a moon and a half, and she was beginning to wonder if he would survive. She and Rainpaw had managed to force some food down his throat, as well as water, but getting him to swallow was nearly impossible. He was scrawny, even to the point of emaciated.

The Medicine Cat studied Freddy's appearance. He was a long-furred orange cat with white patches here and there. He was a relatively big cat, he must've been at least nine or ten moons old.

Silverdiamond resumed sorting the herbs. Rainpaw had collected a lot of medicinal plants. She was excelling at her duties. She still had a lot to learn though. Even if she had perfectly memorized each and every plant, she still hadn't experienced the battlefield. She would have to cope with seeing cats trying to kill each other. Rainpaw had yet to use her skills on a patient in real danger. So far, the injuries her mentor assigned to her were mostly small cuts and torn claws and embedded thorns here and there.

Speaking of embedded thorns…

"Silverdiamond…" whispered a tiny voice.

The Medicine Cat turned around. She saw Indigokit holding Redkit by the scruff.

"Indigokit! Put her down!" ordered Silverdiamond harshly.

"Okay," replied Indigokit, dropping her ungracefully.

"Ow!" whined Redkit, "That hurt!"

"You were meant to put her down gently!" scolded the Medicine Cat.

Indigokit shrugged.

"What's the matter, little one?" asked Silverdiamond, crouching next to Redkit.

The ginger kit sniffled and twitched her front paw. "I think I have a thorn stuck and it really hurts."

"How in StarClan's name did you manage to get a thorn stuck during leaf-bare?" exclaimed the silver-and-black she-cat.

Indigokit snorted. "That's what I'd like to know!"

"I was playing with Lionkit, Soulkit, and Lightningkit outside in the snow, and we were near the brambles that you can only see in greenleaf, but I forgot that they were there, and then I stepped on them."

"That was intelligent," muttered Indigokit sarcastically.

"You would've done the same!" hissed Redkit.

"Would not!"

"Would too!"

"Would not!"

"Would too!"

"Would not!"

"Would too!"

"Would not!"

"Would too!"

"Would not!"

"Would too!"

"Would not!"

"Would too!"

"Stop it!" yowled Silverdiamond.

"Sorry," mewed both kits, their heads down in shame.

"Just why is Indigokit here with you if you absolutely despise each other?" asked Silverdiamond.

Indigokit snorted. "The big baby here was too pathetic to walk by herself, so the queens told me, since I'm the oldest in the nursery, to carry Redkit here. You don't think that I really brought her here of my own will, did you?"

Silverdiamond rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say, Indigokit. Let me see your paw, Redkit."

The little kit stuck out her aching paw.

"It's not deep," meowed the Medicine Cat, "I'll take it out quickly. If you need to scream, then prevent that by biting Indigokit's tail. Since you'll be so concentrated on biting, then it'll hurt less."

"Okay," mewed Redkit, taking the tabby kit's tail in her mouth.

"Hey!" growled Indigokit, "I never agreed to this!"

Silverdiamond ignored him and tugged out the thorn. Redkit bit Indigokit's tail hard enough to draw a little bit of blood.

"Owww!!" yowled Indigokit, pulling his tail away and examining his 'wound', "That hurt me more than the thorn hurt you!"

Silverdiamond frowned. "Redkit, did it really hurt so much that you needed to bite so hard?"

"Not really," replied Redkit smugly, "In fact, it really didn't hurt at all. I just thought that it would be funny to bite Indigokit's tail!"

"Why you little—" snarled Indigokit, "I'll get you!"

"If you can catch me!" laughed Redkit. She raced out of the Medicine Cat den, "Thanks Silverdiamond!"

Silverdiamond shook her head. "Kits."

_Drinking Stream…_

Rainpaw saw Acidpaw. He was headed for a hollow tree stump on the far side of the drinking stream. He tested the ice, making sure it was solid, before dashing across.

"You can't escape!" yowled Rainpaw.

She entered the tree stump. She tried to stop, but skidded on some ice and smashed into the back wall of the tree stump. Everything went black.

Acidpaw stared at her. He smirked. "Did I mention the ice?"

The black tom turned to leave the hollow stump, but before he could, a cascade of snow blocked the exit.

"Foxdung!" cursed Acidpaw.

He moved forward to try and dig out, but he slipped on the ice and hit his head on another wall of the tree stump. He too, was out cold.

_Moonrise at ForestClan camp…_

Oceanpaw, Lynxpaw, and Spotpaw were facing off in the snow fight against Breezepaw, Wolfpaw, and Stripepaw. Currently, the three she-cats were totally creaming the opposing side. Breezepaw received a large amount of snow in his face from Lynxpaw, while Oceanpaw and Spotpaw were ganging up on Stripepaw.

Wolfpaw was standing there innocently.

"Wolfpaw!" yowled the gray tom, spitting out a chunk of snow, "When I said we were a team, that means helping us!"

"Rebel, Wolfpaw!" meowed Lynxpaw gleefully, "Join us!"

Wolfpaw smiled. "Okay."

Breezepaw's jaw dropped. "Wolfpaw!"

_Nursery…_

"I completely beat you, Indigokit, there's no denying it!" mewed Redkit proudly.

"You most certainly did not!" retorted the tabby kit.

They had a huge snow fight earlier, and it was Redkit and Lionkit who had beaten Indigokit and Stormkit, although, Lionkit and Stormkit didn't really participate.

"Did too!"

"No you didn't!"

"You're just afraid of admitting that a she-cat beat you!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Am not!"

"Are too! Wait… huh?" Indigokit stopped to think about that.

Redkit burst out laughing. "That's the oldest trick there is! I can't believe you fell for that!"

The tips of Indigokit's ears burned in embarrassment. He turned away.

"Whatever," he muttered, "I still beat you…"

"No you didn't."

"Be quiet."

_Tree stump near the Drinking Stream…_

When Rainpaw opened her eyes, it was dark. She assumed that it was around moonrise. After a few seconds of letting her eyes adjust to the dimness of the tree stump, she saw Acidpaw lying on his side, his head against the wall of the hollow.

"Acidpaw?" she meowed softly.

"Go away" murmured Acidpaw in his sleep, "I hate chores."

"Acidpaw wake up!"

"Why…?"

"Because!" hissed Rainpaw desperately, "We're still in that tree stump! There's snow in front of the exit! Help me dig it out of the way!"

"It's just snow…" replied Acidpaw, curling himself into a tight ball, "Dig it out in the morning. If we're lucky, it might melt before we wake up."

Seeing that it was no use trying to convince him, Rainpaw sighed and curled up, falling asleep once again, too tired to keep protesting.

_Medicine Cat den…_

Silverdiamond yawned and blinked open her orange eyes. Stepping out of her den, she realized that it was nearly sunhigh. She had slept in. At least no one had come in with any injuries. She chose a plump vole from the fresh-kill pile. This was probably the best she would be able to get until newleaf. She shivered. It was colder than it had been the day before. All the snow on the ground had become icy and hard, contrary to the soft, powdery dust from the Tradition of the First Snow-Fall.

"Hello Silverdiamond!" meowed Blindnose cheerfully, munching on a mouse.

"Blindnose? What are you doing outside the elders' den?" asked the Medicine Cat.

"I'm chewing on this mouse here, and remembering the days when I used to lead the leaf-bare dawn patrol. Darn good times, those were. The crunch of the snow and the ice, just a lovely sound."

"Blindnose?" called Goosefang's voice.

"Oh hello, Goosefang!" replied the eldest of ForestClan, "Would you like to join Whisperedsong and I? We were just remembering the old times."

"I'm Silverdiamond," corrected the Medicine Cat, "Whisperedsong was my mother, remember?"

"Ah, yes. My bad. A lovely she-cat, Whisperedsong was. A fine Warrior. I wonder how her kits are doing…"

"I'm one of her kits, Blindnose," meowed Silverdiamond.

"Blindnose," growled the white-furred elder, cutting Silverdiamond off before she could say anything else, "You were supposed to bring back a meal for the three of us, not eat it outside by yourself!"

"Three of who?"

Goosefang sighed. "The three badgers that are currently sharing tongues with the kits," she meowed sarcastically, "Who do you think?"

Blindnose gasped. "Badgers? In camp? This is madness!"

The white-furred elder rolled her eyes. "I was kidding, you numbskull."

The eldest of ForestClan had a blank look on his face. "Kidding about what?"

"The badgers…"

"You shouldn't joke about stuff like that!" growled Blindnose angrily.

"Sorry, sorry! Sheesh… Come Blindnose, back to the elders' den."

Silverdiamond sighed as she watched Goosefang drag her senile friend away. "I'll send one of the apprentices to bring you some fresh-kill later!"

"Thanks!" replied Goosefang.

Normally, one would get an ill-tempered retort from Goosefang, but she and Silverdiamond had been close friends since they were out of the nursery many seasons ago.

Silverdiamond glanced around camp. Her apprentice was not to be seen. Falconbeak passed by the Medicine Cat, muttering angrily to himself.

"Daft little furball. How dare make a disappearing act when he knows that he has chores to do!"

_Tree stump…_

Acidpaw opened his eyes. The sun was up now, but he could only tell by the little beams of light coming through the cracks of the tree stump. The other thing he noticed was that it was cold. Colder than it had been the day before. The black-furred apprentice rose to his paws, deciding to dig the snow away from the exit. He didn't wake Rainpaw because he wanted to see the astonished look on her face when she realized he had left without her.

His paw came down on the snow at the exit, which was removed hastily. Acidpaw's paw throbbed. The snow had gotten colder? Was that even possible? Or had it hardened somehow?

"Oh StarClan no…"

"What is it, Acidpaw?" Rainpaw meowed groggily.

"…"

"What? Hurry up and dig away the snow. I want to go back to camp so that I can have some fresh-kill. I'm so hungry I could eat half the forest."

"Imagine how fat you'd get."

"I know—Wait a minute… Hey!"

Acidpaw snickered.

"Just hurry up and dig the snow out of the way. I'll be up soon to help you."

Returning to his normal serious face, Acidpaw tested the snow again with the same results. Rainpaw was not going to like this…

"Um… Rainpaw?"

"Wow, you're actually talking to me," teased the Medicine Cat Apprentice, "Just hurry up. Silverdiamond is going to wonder where I am. I have chores to do, herbs to sort."

"There's a problem."

"About what? The snow?" meowed Rainpaw sarcastically.

"Actually, yeah."

"What?"

"Well… it's… sort of… not snow no more."

"What are you talking about?" Rainpaw got to her paws and touched the snow, also pulling away her paw after a few seconds, "StarClan no… ICE?"

"Well done stating the obvious."

"What are we going to do? We're **stuck** in a tree stump!"

"It's better than doing chores."

"I don't care! I need to get out of here!"

Acidpaw sighed. "Do you think I don't?"

"You're not helping!" hissed Rainpaw. She looked at the ceiling of the tree stump, "HEEEEEEEEEEELP!"

"Rainpaw, shut up! You're hurting my ears!"

"How else do you want to get out of here?"

Acidpaw looked around, as if searching for something. "I don't know."

They were silent for a while.

"Acidpaw… Are we going to die here?" asked Rainpaw.

"Yeah, probably."

"You aren't supposed to say that!"

"Do you want me to lie?"

Rainpaw looked down at her paws. "No."

Acidpaw's eyes widened. "Shh!" he silenced Rainpaw.

Faint voices could be heard.

"… wonder… Rainpaw… could be…" it was Snakefang's voice.

Rainpaw gasped. "Snakefang!" she yowled.

"… whoa! Sharktooth… hear that?"

"Yeah!"

The two trapped apprentices heard pawsteps approaching.

"Rainpaw?" came Sharktooth's voice, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," replied the Medicine Cat apprentice, "We're trapped. There's solid ice blocking the exit."

"Really?" asked Snakefang's voice. His pawsteps faded away, "StarClan, it's true!"

"Don't worry, Rainpaw, we'll get you out of there."

"And what am I?" retorted Acidpaw angrily, "Crowfood?"

"Keep your fur on," growled Sharktooth, "Listen, both of you. The top of the tree stump looks really thin, so Snakefang and I are going to jump on it. Stand against the walls, we don't want to fall on you."

Acidpaw did what he was told reluctantly. "We could've gotten out ourselves."

"No we couldn't," retorted Rainpaw, who was standing next to him.

Acidpaw and Rainpaw's pelts' brushed for a split second. Both apprentices' ears' burned.

A thin crack on light shone from the ceiling of the tree stump and next thing they knew, Snakefang and Sharktooth had joined them in the tree stump. Said Warriors immediately leaped out again.

"Come on, you two. Silverdiamond and Falconbeak are looking for you," meowed Snakefang.

"I bet I know what Falconbeak wants…" muttered Acidpaw darkly.

"It's your own fault for getting into so much trouble," meowed Sharktooth.

Acidpaw spun around. "Shut up!" he hissed, "Why is everyone blaming me? It's always, Acidpaw this, Acidpaw that! Why don't do place all of your blame on somebody else for a change?"

With that, Acidpaw stormed off to camp.

"Acidpaw!" yowled Rainpaw after him.

"It's no use, Rainpaw," meowed Snakefang.

"Just forget it," added Sharktooth, "It'll blow over."

Rainpaw nodded sadly and followed them to camp.

The day went on as if the tree stump incident had never happened. Hours became days, and soon The Tradition of the First Snow-Fall was seven sunrises behind them.

Rainpaw woke up to an empty apprentice den. She heard many voices coming from outside.

_What's all the commotion? _wondered Rainpaw.

She stepped out of the den. Many of the Clan was gathered around Lavaflame and Foxclaw. Rainpaw approached as well. Leaning against Foxclaw's shoulder, unconscious, was a tiny, emaciated, and strangely familiar-looking tabby cat.

"Move aside," ordered Pantherstar to the crowd of cats, "What's going on here?"

"We were on the dawn patrol," explained Lavaflame, "And Foxclaw and I saw her unconscious on the border of the Twoleg Path. We weren't just going to leave her there."

"Well done," praised the Clan leader, "Silverdiamond?"

The Medicine Cat approached. The tabby she-cat was shifted from Foxclaw's shoulder to Silverdiamond's.

"Rainpaw," summoned Silverdiamond.

The Medicine Cat Apprentice nodded and followed her mentor into the Medicine Cat den.

"I need you to get her some fresh-kill. Go quickly. Then come back here for some feverfew."

Rainpaw nodded. "Right away."

Silverdiamond turned her attention to the tabby she-cat. She lay her down on a pile of moss.

The tabby she-cat opened her eyes. She struggled to lift her head and frowned in confusion when Silverdiamond looked down at her.

_I'm… alive?_

"It's alright. You're safe now," whispered the Medicine Cat soothingly, "My apprentice has gone to fetch you some food. It certainly looks like you need it."

_Thank you…_

Rainpaw returned to Silverdiamond with a mouse dangling from her jaws. She put it down in front of the tabby she-cat.

"Here you go. You'll be better in no time, you'll see."

The tabby she-cat stared at Rainpaw in shock.

_Is that the she-cat that saved from Seapaw and Hawkpaw?_

"What is it?" asked Rainpaw.

The tabby she-cat's mouth opened but no sound came out.

It was Rainpaw's turn to be surprised.

"Oh StarClan…" she whispered, "I know you…"

The tabby she-cat nodded weakly.

"Maddie?"

Rainpaw and Silverdiamond spun around. There was Freddy, the cat who no one thought would survive, staggering to his paws.

"Maddie," he whispered, staring directly at the tabby she-cat, "Is that you?"

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That's the end of this chapter. Virtual cookies to all that review!


	4. Freddy's Story: Part One

**Disclaimer: **Things never change.

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**Moonstar of FireClan: **Not Sha cubes! Seth wouldn't eat me, would he? I created him! (Seth: -growls-) Uh well… here's the update. Spare me!

**Mintytooth: **Hmmm… chemistry is horrible, isn't it? I remember being a sitting duck when I had chemistry. Fortunately, we have moved on to physics, like catapults! Yay! (flings a marshmallow across the room).

**Flamespirit-eth: **Thanks:) I'm a bit… um… mousebrained… when it comes to stuff like this. Maddie hasn't been mentioned yet in earlier chapters, so don't worry.

**some crazy girl who likes pie: **(nods) Acidpaw _is_ awesome. Thanks for reviewing.

**Princess of Lightning: **I like Redkit as well. Then again, I like all my characters, since I created them. Well… maybe except for Lionclaw. He was bugging me.

LOTS OF THANKS TO MY FANTASTIC BETA, **MISTYTAIL**!!!

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**Chapter Four**

**Freddy's Story: Part One**

"Maddie… Is that you?"

The tabby she-cat shook her head slowly. The kittypet looked down at his paws.

"Sorry… my mistake. It's just that you look a lot like her."

Rainpaw stared at the kittypet. He was awake at last. Silverdiamond rushed up to him.

"You should sit down. You're still too weak to be up and about like that."

The kittypet sat down.

"It's Freddy, right?" asked Rainpaw. She looked at the tabby she-cat, "And you're Quietpaw."

Quietpaw nodded, as did Freddy.

"Why did you think that Quietpaw was someone else? I mean, couldn't you tell by scent?"

"Maddie and I were on the streets eating out of trash cans for a long time. I thought that maybe… Maddie had survived."

Quietpaw put her head to one side, as if wondering what happened.

Freddy's piercing amber eyes studied Quietpaw.

His next words were shocking.

"Hey… Quietpaw… You're mute, aren't you?"

Quietpaw's eyes widened.

_How did he know?_

"How did you know?" asked Rainpaw, voicing Quietpaw's thoughts.

"Long story," he replied.

"Explain it to us," meowed Silverdiamond, "How did you end up being nearly killed by that dog?"

Freddy closed his eyes. "It started a long time ago. Maddie and I were five moons old… Life was good until our mother died…"

_Flashback_

_A tiny tabby she-cat stared at her brother._

Where's mom? _she thought._

"_Forget it, Maddie…" mewed a smaller version of Freddy, "She's dead. We're going to be stuck here until some Upwalker adopts us."_

_The kit's eyes widened. _Why?

"_Because they found us on the street, which is their territory."_

_Maddie snorted angrily. _I don't want to! No Upwalker is going to take me away!

"_I know you don't want to, but if we're lucky, we'll get adopted together. Either way, we're not going to leave this shelter anytime soon. We just got here. It takes a while."_

I'm an impatient cat!

_Freddy laughed. "Don't I know it!"_

_Maddie nudged her brother to get his attention. She stared at Freddy and opened her mouth. No sound came out._

"_I bet the Upwalkers that end up taking us won't even notice," meowed Freddy, knowing what his sister was thinking, "Besides, it doesn't matter."_

_The small tabby she-cat nodded and fell asleep with her head on her brother's paws. Freddy couldn't sleep. He was nervous._

Scratch that, _he thought, _I'm terrified. What if the Upwalker that takes us doesn't treat us well? What if me and Maddie are separated?

"_Hey. Pup."_

_Freddy looked up. Across from his cage, he saw two glittering black eyes._

"_Who are you?" asked the orange and white cat. The voice that had spoken to him had been rough, as if the creature had an accent. It was certainly not a cat._

"_My name is Seth. What's yours?"_

"_I'm Freddy," the kit hesitated, "If you don't mind me asking, what are you? You're not a cat."_

"_I'm a dog," replied Seth. He stepped forward. Freddy could see him now. He was quite obviously still a kit, for he wasn't very big. He had short black fur with brown fur on his chest and legs. He lifted his head proudly, "A Doberman Pinscher to be exact! I come from a purebred family, but… how I ended up in this shelter, I have no idea. One second, I was sleeping, when I woke up, I was here."_

"_Our mother died," meowed Freddy, gesturing his sister with the tip of his tail, "The Upwalkers caught us, and then left us here."_

"_Upwalkers?" asked Seth, "That's an interesting way to say it, I guess. Dogs call them 'Funkypelts'. The things they put over their skin are really odd. Have you ever seen one up close? It looks like fur, but is doesn't cover every part of them. And they can switch them, how weird is that? One minute, they have, I don't know, black fur, and the next second, they have white fur!"_

"_Whoa! That's __**is **__weird! Wonder why they always change them…"_

"_I have no idea. You've got to admit, it's interesting."_

"_Definitely."_

"_You cats call your young 'kits' right?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_We're called pups or cubs."_

"_Really?"_

"_And the Funkypelts call us puppies! Isn't that rat-brained?"_

"_Yeah! It's just like the way the Upwalkers call us kittens!"_

"_No way! That sounds so stupid!"_

"_I know!"_

_Seth and Freddy chatted for hours, until suddenly, the door of the shelter opened. Both animals fell silent immediately. Two Upwalkers, or in Seth's case, Funkypelts, came near them._

"_**I like all animals," **__said one of them._

_The other Upwalker nodded and approached Freddy and Maddie's cage. Freddy's fur rose and his lips drew back into a snarl._

"_Stop it!" hissed Seth, "If you want to get out of here, the Funkypelts need to like you!"_

_Freddy blinked and let his fur fall back into place._

"_**He's adorable!"**__ boomed the first Upwalker, joining the second one in front of Freddy's cage, __**"Is that his sister in there? How cute!"**_

"_**We also have a large variety of dogs, and we even have a rare puppy!" **__added the second. Seth snorted at the word 'puppy'._

_The first Upwalker squealed in delight and spun around, facing Seth, who wagged his tail._

"_**You're adorable too!" **__cooed the Upwalker, __**"I don't know who to choose!"**_

_The Upwalker glanced at Seth's cage, then at Freddy and Maddie's cage._

"_**This is so difficult! Hmm… Oh, what have I got to lose? I'll take them all! All three of them!"**_

_Freddy's eyes widened. Not only was his sister going to be with them, but Seth was coming too! It was almost too good to be true!_

"_Maddie!" meowed Freddy, "I was wrong! We're getting out of here! Now!"_

_The tabby kit's eyes snapped open. She looked up at her brother, her eyes gleaming. _Seriously?

"_Yes!" assured Freddy, "We'll have a fantastic home, and everything, you'll see!"_

It sounds too good to be true…

"_I know what you're thinking, and don't worry! We'll be fine!" meowed her brother, nodding his head._

_In a matter of moments, Freddy and Maddie were put in a cat carrier, and Seth was lead into the monster that belonged to the Upwalker that was taking them._

_Although Freddy and Seth chatted throughout the ride as if they were old friends, Maddie remained silent._

Silent,_ thought Maddie, _aren't I always?

_She opened her mouth in a desperate attempt to speak. She wanted so badly to talk with her brother and his friend, but just couldn't._

_Freddy stared at her. "Maddie, stop it. It's not your fault that you're mute. You were born that way. Your vocal chords are very weak, so don't try."_

"_She's mute?" asked Seth._

_Freddy nodded and Maddie turned away._

"_Hey… Maddie?"_

_The tabby she-kit turned around._

"_I thought you were just being a snob by not joining our conversation. Sorry I jumped to conclusions."_

_Maddie nodded and shrugged. Seth looked at Freddy for translation._

"_She understands and forgives you," he replied._

_The rest of the ride was in silence._

_The monster finally came to a stop. The Upwalker led Seth and carried Maddie and Freddy to the back of the huge Twoleg nest. It was an enormous square of grass, completely enclosed by metal barriers with holes big enough for only the tiniest newborn kit could squeeze through. Barbed wire lined the top of the barriers, and it looked as if the barrier went deep underground, making escape impossible._

_Seth's eyes widened at what he saw. He had heard from his mother about placed like these. There were tons of other dogs and cats in the enclosed area. When the three of them had been adopted, it __**was**__ too good to be true. This place was the home of an animal hoarder._

"_**Make yourselves at home,**__" boomed the Funkypelt, "__**Get along well with the others.**__"_

_The Upwalker unclipped Seth's leash and released Maddie and Freddy from their carrier. The furless beast turned and returned to its den._

"_What… what is this?" stammered Freddy._

"_An animal hoarder," whispered Seth, "I thought they were only tales to scare pups…"_

_Maddie shot Freddy a glance, her tail drooping and touching the ground._

"_You were right, Maddie," he meowed grimly, "It was too good to be true."_

_There was a long silence. The other dogs and cats stared at the new trio._

_One cat, a gray and black she-cat, approached them. "You're the new ones, I guess. Good luck."_

_She turned and padded away. Slowly, the other animals left as well, some of them giving sympathizing looks. Even the other dogs acknowledged them._

_Maddie looked at Freddy, tilted her head to the left, and flicked her tail in a circle._

"_I don't know."_

_Seth stared at Freddy. "Huh?"_

"_Maddie asked me what was going to happen to us."_

"_Sign language?"_

_The orange kit nodded. The group was silent for a moment._

"_I want to learn."_

"_What?"_

_Maddie looked at Seth, her head tilted to the left._

"_Maddie's sign language. It's obvious that I'll need to understand her," Seth looked at his paws, "My mother always told me that if you become the pet of an animal hoarder, you'll most likely not get out alive. I want to make the best out of the rest of my life. I know that I haven't known you two for long, but we only have each other. I don't think that the other animals here are going to help us."_

_Maddie nodded and pressed her fur against Seth._

"_She agrees and says that we need to stick together," explained Freddy, "I'm in too. I refuse to die quickly. It's not going to happen."_

"_You're not going to make it past a week," another voice cut in._

_The two cats and Seth wheeled around. There was another dog standing there. She was most definitely older than Seth. She had messy long white fur that made her look twice her actual size. Scars covered her entire body as if they were snakes wrapped around her. Her eyes were sky blue._

"_I was the first dog here. I rule this place, and no one questions my authority."_

"_Says who?" snarled Seth._

_Out of nowhere, the other dog attacked Seth and tore open his shoulder with her claws. Two other dogs that were standing behind her laughed._

"_Stupid cub. No one challenges Rebekka unless they have a death wish!" growled one of them. He was a Beagle with a chunk of his right ear missing._

"_Yeah!" grunted the other dog, a ragged Yorkshire Terrier._

"_I did not give you permission to speak," snarled Rebekka, glaring at her companions, "Roger, Terry, go back to the house. I will punish you there."_

_The other two dogs, ears flat against their skulls, backed away slowly and ran toward the Upwalker nest._

_Maddie stepped in front of Seth, bristling angrily._

_Rebekka took a step back. Maddie extended her claws, and Rebekka sprinted away, tail between her legs._

"_Good job, Maddie!" meowed Freddy, "You scared her away!"_

_Maddie shook her head, her paws kneading the ground._

"_You don't think it was because of you?"_

_She shook her head again._

"_Of course it wasn't a kit like you."_

_The cats jumped and spun around._

_There was a fierce looking cat standing there. He was a tabby with white paws. His eyes were bright orange._

"_Don't worry about Rebekka," he assured, "This is the cat side of the yard. You're safe from her here. She ran because she knew that she could get hurt on this side of the yard. My name is Whitefire, and the two of you must be the new cats. Feel free to join me, but… the dog… he is not staying on the cat side."_

_Maddie scratched the ground in front of her, an angry expression on her face._

"_She wants to know why," meowed Freddy, "And I would like the same answer."_

"_Because the boss of the cat side would not appreciate it. He defeated Rebekka, you know. He abhors dogs."_

_Maddie licked her shoulder quickly and looked pleadingly at Whitefire._

"_She wants to ask if Seth can stay while his shoulder heals, then we'll do what you want."_

"_I'm afraid that the dog is a goner. That wound will get infected, and it will be the end of him."_

"_But… that's so unfair!" protested Freddy._

"_I'm not the enemy! If it were up to me, I would let him stay. But Ember… he won't have it," meowed Whitefire._

_Maddie scratched the ground with her back paws._

"_We're not staying here then," snarled Freddy, "I know that you mean well, but if Seth goes, we go. We're not going to let him die."_

"_I have an idea," started Whitefire, "Go to Rebekka and ask to join her. If everything works out, then you'll have to live on the dog side of the territory. Leave Seth here, and I'll take care of him with the allies within the cat side. I can't guarantee that he'll live, but I'll try."_

_Freddy was confused. "I don't get it."_

"_Let me start from the beginning. When the animal hoarding started, there was only Ember and Rebekka. Those two were enemies, and as other cats and dogs joined them as they came. There were many fights. I came here with a friend of mine. We had nowhere to go, and we thought this place would be safe, but we were wrong. We joined Ember. The rules here are these: you may not go onto the other territory, and you may not help any other animal on the other side. There are others on the cat side who do not like the way Ember runs the cat side. I suspect that there are ones like that on the dog side. If you can find out who they are, we can overthrow both Rebekka and Ember."_

_Freddy nodded. "But does Rebekka accept cats?"_

_Whitefire nodded. "A few have. They hate Ember and act as though they were dogs."_

_Maddie's narrowed and she extended her claws._

"_She says that she'll do what you say. Maddie is really quick to judge people."_

Hey! _thought Maddie_

_Whitefire dipped his head. "Thank you. If we want to have any chance of living without worrying about borders, those two need to be gotten rid of. Try to find out who the ones who don't like Rebekka are and bring them to the Twoleg nest at moonrise. I've got to go. Ember will wonder where I am. May StarClan light your path."_

"_What are you talking about? What's a Twoleg? What's StarClan?"_

_Whitefire paused. "Change of plans. Bring the allies moonrise tomorrow. I need to speak to you alone at the door of the nest tonight. Be there."_

"_You mean the entrance?"_

"_Yes. I'll take Maddie with me. The job you must do should not be for a she-cat."_

No! I want to go with you!

"_It's for the best Maddie. I don't want you to get hurt," Freddy looked at Whitefire, "What about Seth?"_

"… _I don't know. I'm sorry," with that, Whitefire turned and left, Maddie following him, glancing one at her brother._

Good luck.

"_Thanks," Freddy sighed, "Better get started."_

_He approached Seth, whose eyes flickered open._

"_Are you okay?" asked Freddy._

"_My shoulder…" he whimpered._

"_I won't leave you. I'll be back here at sunset."_

_Seth nodded weakly. "Thanks."_

_He padded across the border, which was marked by an Upwalker's path. There was a row of trees and behind them he could distinctly see a row of beat-up doghouses._

"_Halt!" snarled a voice._

_The orange kit stopped._

_A Borzoi approached him, his ginger fur standing on end. "What are you doing on Rebekka's side of the yard?"_

"_I wish to join this side. Ember is stupid."_

_The Borzoi glanced around, his amber eyes darting around the yard. Finally, he dipped his head closer to Freddy. "You're making the wrong decision, cub."_

"_What?"_

"_Rebekka is nothing but a tyrant. She'll kill you if you disobey. She killed my mate and my cubs. Don't do the wrong thing."_

"_Then… You're my ally!"_

"_Shhh! You ratbrain!" he growled, "Don't let anyone else hear you! What are you talking about anyways?"_

"_I was sent here by Whitefire. I'm to join this place and find all the ones who want to overthrow Rebekka."_

_The Borzoi was silent. "My name is Flame. I hate Rebekka as well. I suppose I should help you. I have friends that don't like her either."_

_Freddy was speechless. Everything was perfect. All he needed to do was get accepted by Rebekka._

"_We're meeting Whitefire and his group in two moonrises. Now, can you take me to Rebekka please?"_

"_Sure. But remember… if doesn't like you… she __**will**__ kill you. Good luck."_

_Freddy gulped. He didn't want to die, not yet._

"_There's a new cat that wants to join, boss," barked Terry, the Yorkshire Terrier from before. He bore a new scar on his face._

"_Bring him here," ordered Rebekka from inside a shabby little doghouse, although it was by far the best-looking one._

_Freddy took at deep breath and followed Terry inside the doghouse. What he saw shocked him slightly. Rebekka was lying on a pile of moss. Three cats were sitting next to her: One ginger tom, one tabby she-cat, and a white tom-kit with ice blue eyes. He was no older than six moons. They were carefully grooming the dog's snow-white fur. _

"_The new cat, your Highness," he muttered, his ears flat and his belly touching the ground._

_Rebekka's blue eyes glinted. "You're the one from earlier."_

"_Yes. I have come to give my serious apologies for what my stupid dog companion said to you earlier, your Highness."_

_Freddy's ears went back and he imitated the gesture of respect that Terry had done._

_Rebekka's eyes narrowed. "Do you honestly expect me to believe that?"_

_Freddy's heart skipped a beat. She was going to kill him, wasn't she?_

"_Fortunately for you, I am in a good mood. You can join, but don't expect to get a high rank."_

_The orange and white kit held in a sigh of relief. He kept him submissive position. "Of course, your Highness."_

"_Good. Now sit next to December. He's the white cat. Put one claw on him and I will rip your entrails out of your stomach. You will join the others in cleaning my fur."_

"_Yes, you Highness," mewed Freddy. He moved with his tail touching the ground and his ears flat. He noticed that the other cats all held the same stance as he with the exception of the white cat, December._

_For hours, Freddy groomed Rebekka's fur. He noticed that December took frequent breaks, and that Rebekka did nothing to stop him. When the tabby she-cat attempted to stop, Rebekka swatted her over the head with one paw._

_Was December getting special treatment or something? Was it a reward for his loyalty to Rebekka? If that were the case, he should probably do a better job or cleaning the dog's fur. He neck hurt from all the crouching._

"_Alright. You can all go back to your doghouses. Be back here at dawn. Good work, December."_

_December nodded and padded away, his tail actually not touching the ground. The ginger tom and the tabby she-cat glared at him and left Rebekka's den, their tails drooping and their ears flat against their skulls._

_Freddy followed their lead until he was well away from Rebekka's den. Then, he picked up the pace._

"_Hey! December!"_

_The white cat turned around. "Yes?"_

"_Um… Do you know a place where I can sleep? I'm new here."_

"_I figured as much. There's my doghouse. There's no one else living there at the moment. Everyone here seems to glare at me as I pass."_

"_Thanks."_

_Freddy followed the white cat. When he finally stopped, they were in front of a doghouse nicer than Rebekka's. The orange-and-white kit gaped at it._

"_I don't understand! Why didn't Rebekka take this one?"_

_December shrugged. "I have no idea. When I came here, she told me to take this one," he turned to look at Freddy, "It's not too late to join Ember, you know."_

"_What? Don't tell me that you don't like Rebekka either!"_

"_You mean you came here on purpose?"_

"_Uh… maybe…" Freddy glanced at the setting sun. He remembered that he was supposed to go see Seth at the border, then Whitefire at the Upwalker nest, "I have something to do, so… I'll see you later."_

_December nodded._

_Freddy turned at ran off. He really hoped he didn't blow his cover. December wouldn't report him to Rebekka, would he?_

"_Seth?" whispered the orange-and-white tom._

_The Doberman lifted his head. "Is that you, Freddy?"_

"_Yes. I spent my day grooming Rebekka's fur. Don't worry about a thing. Just stay here during the day, and I'll come see you at night."_

"_Thank you…"_

_Freddy noticed that the wound on Seth's shoulder was cleaned._

"_Who took care of—"_

"_My shoulder? Maddie came by earlier and cleaned it. I found out that the tongue of a cat is scratchy. The hard way."_

_Freddy laughed, _"_Well, at least your shoulder is a bit better. Listen, I've got to go meet Whitefire at the Upwalker nest. I'll see you tomorrow."_

"_No need," another voice cut in._

_Freddy jumped. "Oh, it's just you, Whitefire."_

_Whitefire nodded. "Good news. I've found a hiding place for Seth. It's safe for now. It's inside the Twoleg nest. It's the place where all the outcasts go. Whether they're traitors who have escaped Rebekka's wrath, or creatures of no use to either Ember or Rebekka, that's the safest place for Seth. Unfortunately, Ember plans to exterminate all the ones that live in there, so it's only a temporary fix."_

"_Thank you… I'm sick of hiding," growled Seth softly, "Even though it's only been one day."_

_Freddy felt like he had spent days in this place already._

"_Let's get going," meowed Whitefire._

_Freddy helped Seth to his paws and followed the tabby tom. They reached the Upwalker nest. There was a dog door in the entrance._

"_Go on," urged Whitefire, "And good luck. Stay strong."_

_The dog nodded his thanks. "Will do."_

_Seth disappeared into the doghouse._

_Whitefire sighed in relief. "Now I have no chance of getting caught by Ember seeing me help a dog."_

_Freddy looked up at him. "I have good news too! I've already found all the allies in Rebekka's side. I met a Borzoi called Flame, and he says that he already has an assembled team of traitors ready!"_

"_Flame! I knew he wasn't loyal to Rebekka! Just the look on his face whenever Rebekka would pass. Pure loathing! I knew he was one of us!"_

"_I had a question for you. Do you know who December is?"_

"_Of course! Apparently, he's a cat that is treated extremely well by Rebekka. Rumors about him have spread all the way to Ember's side."_

"_He told me something interesting. He let me stay in the doghouse that he's in, and he told me this: 'It's not too late to join Ember.' Do you think that he's on our side?"_

_Whitefire thought for a moment. "Maybe. Bring him here with the other allies tomorrow. If he squeals to Rebekka, we'll have to threaten him."_

_Freddy nodded. He didn't particularly want to threaten December, but they had no choice. "Alright… but you told me to come here for another reason. What was it?"_

"_I wanted to ask you… when this mess is all over, and if by any chance we're able to escape the animal hoarder… listen. I come from far away, in the prairie near the mountain."_

"_The prairie? When my mother was alive, she said that the cats that lived there ate street cats for breakfast!"_

_Whitefire laughed. "Those are just rumors. I come from PrairieClan, the group of cats residing in the prairie. If and when I get out of this place, I'm going home to the Prairie. Would you like to come with me? Maddie can come too…"_

_End Flashback_

Freddy opened his eyes.

"Whitefire…" muttered Silverdiamond, "I've definitely heard the name before. Ask one of the elders. But you haven't explained what happened to make that dog attack you."

"My story has barely begun…"

"Keep going, then," urged Rainpaw.

Quietpaw nodded too. She wanted to know what happened to Maddie as well.

"In the morning," interrupted Silverdiamond, "It's late, and all of you need your sleep."

Rainpaw realized that they had been in the Medicine Cat den all day. She yawned, realizing for the first time how tired she was. She nodded good night to Silverdiamond and the others and returned to the apprentice den.

_Twolegplace…_

The white cat growled. He was facing the shadows of a doghouse.

"Why won't you go? They need you!" he yowled.

"Do you honestly think I have the energy? The prairie… so far away…"

"I've known you for a long time, and you always said that you longed to return to the Prairie! You heard the prophecy! They need you!"

"Go yourself. It is your destiny. If you see … never mind, it would be best if you didn't say anything."

"You go yourself!" snapped the white cat, "Just go! What have you got to lose?"

"I can't bring myself to return… not without my friend. What would they think of me if I came back without him?"

"Get over it! He's gone! Just say that!"

"… I can't."

The white cat snarled in frustration. "Fine, then! I'll just go without you!"

He turned and ran in the other direction, leaping up a fence. He winced when his soft paw pads came in contact with barbed wire, but nevertheless got to the other side.

The cat hiding in the shadows of the doghouse sighed. He remembered clearly the prophecy he had been given a moon ago:

_**Watch out for the gale that seems to roar,**_

_**He alone can make peace exist no more.**_

_**Rain will be shielded by white,**_

_**Leaves will be mangled in a dangerous fight.**_

_**All we be revealed on silver's fern,**_

_**A dying star will need to return.**_

_**Forest will be strengthened by eternal rain,**_

_**But will drown in acid's pain.**_

_**Mourning rain will be turned cold,**_

_**A story will come that has never been told.**_

The cat had figured out the meaning of that prophecy a while ago. The peace of the four clans was going to be destroyed. And it was all his fault. He knew who the 'gale that seemed to roar' was, and he had let that monster of a cat live. The roaring gale and the cat had fought many moons ago, and he had been defeated. He now lived with injuries that not even Twolegs could fix. He knew he needed to face the roaring gale once again, but he could not return.

Winterflame had gone on to the prairie. The cat hoped that he would fight the roaring gale and win. He might even find some old friends and allies on his way. The cat sighed again. He dearly hoped that he had not sent his white-furred companion to his death.

Another secret that the cat held was the second prophecy. He had not told Winterflame about it. It was as followed:

_**There are three: one who watches them as a star,**_

_**The others do not know who they truly are.**_

_**The one of scarlet knows nothing of the diamond breeze,**_

_**The one of blazes fled far from the trees.**_

He knew what that meant as well. His mate had told him all about it. It was a huge issue a while back.

"I wonder how my mate is doing…" he mused, "I hope she's still alive and that her secret is safe. She told me that Silverdiamond was a loyal friend. I hope she was right. And my kits… dead? Alive? I will never know."

He sunk into a deep slumber.

_There was a white-furred she cat with small gray flecks on her legs. She was walking through the forest on the Gathering Island._

"_StarClan," meowed the cat aloud, "Why are you showing me this?"_

_The white-furred she-cat looked around, alarmed. "Who's there?"_

_The cat did not reply. He watched as a ginger tom approached Rainpaw. The cat smiled._

"_Redstar," he whispered, "I understand your intentions."_

_They spoke for a while, and the cat heard the ginger tom repeat the second prophecy before he began to fade away. Redstar glanced at the cat. His ice blue eyes locked with his._

The cat woke with a start.

"I must return," he whispered, "I'm coming, Winterflame and Rainpaw."

Determination shone in the cat's emerald green eyes. He forced himself to his paws, ignoring the pain in his chest and throat.

"I could drop dead at any second, yet I find the need to go back. It's uncanny how accurate the prophecy is. I am a dying star," the cat's gaze hardened and his pupils narrowed into slits, "Watch out, Roaringbreeze. I'm coming back, and I'm going to kill you."

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Dun dun dun! Who is this mysterious cat? How does he know Rainpaw? Anonymous reviewer block is off, so… :) yeah.


	5. Freddy's Story: Part Two

**Disclaimer: **……… please… tell me you've learned by now. I don't own. No. Never will, either.

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**A/N:** Wow… It's been a **really** long time since I last updated. I just want to say that I'm **really** sorry. I'm not going to use schoolwork as an excuse, even though that would be perfectly valid. We've had so much lately… Horrible. Science Fair **ruined** my weekend. But, I admit having this chapter ready for more than three months, and that's bad, very bad of me, but the bright side of all of this is that I caught six mistakes when I reread this! Also, as consolation, my next chapter is nearly done, I already have twelve pages. I'm looking for a spot to end the chapter, so I'm almost done…

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**Moonstar of FireClan: **(gulp) spare me! Acidpaw will appear in this chapter! I promise!

**Mystra14: **Thanks! I'm glad there's a new reviewer! As for Rainpaw's Medicine Cat name…wait and see…

**Princess of Lightning: **Hmmm… you'll find out soon enough.

**Mintytooth: **My beta liked the name Funkypelt too. It does sound fitting, right? Yes… isn't Seth adorable?

**Flamespirit-eth: **Soon soon soon… Mwahahahahahahahahaha!!!

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**Chapter Five**

**Freddy's Story: Part Two**

Rainpaw woke with a start. She had the same dream that she normally had, where Redstar repeated the prophecy once again. But this time, she heard a different voice. Someone had called out: "StarClan, why are you showing me this?"

Rainpaw was sure that someone else apart from her had the same dream. The weird part was that the voice that she had heard was familiar, but it wasn't anyone in the clan, she was sure.

She whispered the prophecy.

"There are three: one who watches them as a star,

The others do not know who they truly are.

The one of scarlet knows nothing of the diamond breeze,

The one of blazes fled far from the trees."

It was drilled into her head now. Why, oh why, couldn't the StarClan cats simply give her the answer?

"What was that, Rainpaw?" sneered a voice, "Are you trying to come up with poetry? If you are, it's certainly not very good."

Rainpaw's gaze darted around the apprentice den. She saw two acid green eyes glimmering in the darkness. She cursed his black fur for being nearly invisible in the dark.

"Acidpaw!" she gasped, "You didn't hear that, did you?"

"The whole thing."

Rainpaw was silent.

"Sounded kind of fishy if you ask me, like something StarClan would say," Acidpaw stopped for a moment, "Not that I've heard StarClan say anything."

Rainpaw rose to her paws. "Well… uh… I've got to go… um…"

"Listen to the rest of Freddy's life story?"

"What? How do you know?"

"Uh…"

Rainpaw stepped in front of the apprentice den exit. "I'm not moving until you tell me how you know."

Acidpaw glared at her. "I was eavesdropping from the back room. I know the entire story. I snuck into the Medicine Cat den during the confusion of Quietpaw's arrival," the black-furred apprentice smirked at the shocked look on Rainpaw's face, "Happy now? And I'll be coming with you to listen to the rest of the story. I did my chores at the crack of dawn."

Rainpaw was speechless. She backed out of the apprentice den. One thought crossed her mind.

_He could've just shoved me out of the way. I'm not training to be a Warrior, so I would've been a pushover… Why did Acidpaw bother telling me?_

The Medicine Cat apprentice heard Acidpaw's pawsteps behind her. She entered the Medicine Cat den. Both Freddy and Quietpaw were awake. Silverdiamond was removing the cobwebs from the kittypet's ribs.

"Ah, Rainpaw," meowed her mentor pleasantly. Her gaze darkened when she saw who was behind her apprentice, "What brings you here, Acidpaw?"

"I'm finished my chores, if that's what you're implying. And since I can't leave camp for another eighteen sunrises, I thought, 'Why don't I help out in the Medicine Cat den?'. It's not like I have anything better to do. Believe me, if there was, I wouldn't be here."

Silverdiamond snarled softly. She couldn't make him leave.

"Fine, stay here then. There's nothing to do, though."

Freddy looked at the argument in confusion, and Quietpaw's eyes were shining. If she were able to speak or make any noise, she'd probably be laughing.

"Continue with your story, Freddy," meowed Rainpaw.

The kittypet nodded.

"It was perfect. The allies were all lined up… or that's what we thought…"

_Flashback_

_Freddy took a deep breath. Tonight was the night when all of the allies were supposed to meet. After grooming Rebekka's fur for hours on end, he exited her den and approached December._

"_Hi Freddy," he meowed._

"_Hi… Listen… about yesterday's conversation. You pretty much told me that I should abandon this place and join Ember. What did you mean by that, exactly?"_

_December sighed. "Let's go back to the doghouse. I'll explain everything there."_

_Freddy followed him in silence. When they arrived, December sat down on a cushion that Rebekka had left there for him. He started to speak._

"_I came here some time ago, though, I was originally on Ember's side with the rest of my family. My parents and siblings were all killed by Ember's crew, and I fled to this side. Normally, Rebekka refuses to take in ones who have been on the other side, but for some reason, when she saw me crying over my family's deaths, she picked me up and brought me to her den. She allowed me to stay with her. At one point, our eyes met. She looked at me as if she knew who I was. As if she had met me before. She gave me the best doghouse, and whenever she found high-quality food, she gave me a little bit. She didn't force me to work or fight. Many cats and dogs have told me that it was pity that made Rebekka do what she did… but I don't think that's the case. She suddenly told me to groom her fur every day. I did as I was told, because I wanted to repay her. Our eyes locked once more, and she looked afraid. Of what, I have no idea."_

_December turned and stared hard at Freddy. "What's your story?"_

_Freddy took a deep breath._

"_My sister and I lived with our mother on the streets. It was actually pretty peaceful. Mother would catch us a mouse in the alleys every now and then, as a special treat. Normally, we just ate what the Upwalkers didn't want. Then… Mother was hit by a car. She died, and Maddie and I were caught by the Upwalkers and taken to a shelter. Now… all we want to do is resume our lives before our capture, whether our mother is there or not."_

_December's eyes narrowed. "That's not all, is there? You're hoping for a better life now, aren't you?"_

_Freddy blinked. "I guess that would be nice."_

_The white cat nodded. "I want a better life too. Away from here."_

"_But… Rebekka is treating you perfectly fine!"_

"_I know, and I'm grateful for that… but… I've seen so much death in this place. I want to leave. So many cats and dogs here hate me. I want to experience a world where not as many people wish they could rip my fur off."_

"_Come with me tonight," urged Freddy, "There's a group of allies who are trying to leave this place too."_

_The white cat's eyes shone. "Thanks. I will."_

"_Come on. Flame and the others will be waiting for us."_

_December nodded._

_The two cats arrived at the border of the two territories. A group of cats and dogs were waiting there. Flame stepped forward._

"_Shall we go then?"_

_Freddy nodded. "Yeah."_

"_There are even more?" whispered the white cat._

_Flame noticed December for the first time. He glared at the white cat._

"_What's he doing here?"_

"_He—" Freddy was cut off by December._

"_I'll explain it myself," the white tom looked at the assembled traitors, "I appreciate what Rebekka did for me, but I've seen her kill so many… I can't be around anymore."_

_Flame nodded. "I understand, but I'll be keeping a close eye on you."_

"_It's alright."_

_They reached the Upwalker nest. One by one, every traitor went through the dog door._

_Whitefire, Maddie, Seth, and a small hoard of cats were waiting._

"_Gather 'round!" meowed Whitefire._

_When everyone was silent, Whitefire stepped into the middle. "We're all here because we are sick of the way things are around here, am I right?"_

"_Yes!" came assorted barks and yowls._

"_We're going to overthrow Rebekka and Ember!" added the tabby, his orange eyes glistening._

"_Are we going to kill them?" asked December quietly._

"_Of course!" barked a Malamute._

"_We simply cannot let them live any longer!" meowed the same tabby she-cat who had been grooming Rebekka's fur the first day Freddy came._

"_But…"_

"_Of course it's understandable that you don't want to kill Rebekka," added the ginger tom from the day before, " Sure, she's been nice to you, but she has killed many others."_

"_So __**that's**__ December!"_

"_What's __**he**__ doing here?"_

"_I bet he's a spy for Rebekka!"_

_Other cats and dogs howled and snarled at December._

"_Stop it!" yowled the white tom, "None of you understand! The fact that she's been good to me has nothing to do with anything! It's just that—"_

"_Just what?" snarled Terry the Yorkshire Terrier. Scars covered his face. One of his eyes was scratched out and a large chunk of his right ear was gone. His left ear was gone altogether, "Look at what she did to me! And I'm one of the lucky ones!"_

_Another uproar began. December's voice rose above them all._

"_If we kill her, we'll be no different from her!" everyone stopped speaking._

"_He's right…" whispered an Akita Inu._

_Terry growled. "I don't care!"_

_Just as another argument was about to break out, a loud voice rang out._

"_SILENCE!"_

_The crowd parted. A gray tom with emerald green eyes stepped through. There was a large scar running along his throat, going all the way down to his right paw._

"_Greens—" whispered Whitefire, before being cut off._

"_December is right," meowed the gray tom, "We should just find a way to escape."_

"_Don't be stupid," growled Flame, "How are we going to escape? We know that the fence goes far underground, and that the top is sharp. Either way, it's not like a dog can leap over the fence."_

"_Simple," meowed the gray cat, "We wait."_

"_Wait for what?" snarled Terry, "Snow to fall?"_

_The gray cat smiled. "Exactly."_

_Everyone around gave the gray cat confused glances. Whitefire, however, didn't seem surprised by the gray cat's statement._

"_I knew you would come up with that!" laughed Whitefire._

"_What does he mean?" asked the tabby-she cat._

"_Exactly what he said:_ _We wait for snow to fall. In the dead of night, we assemble and form a hill of snow big enough for us to leap safely over," explained Whitefire, "We've done it before."_

"_Ingenious!" barked Flame gleefully, "When should we start? And where should we build this? And just what is your name anyways? We should all introduce ourselves. Looking at the numbers, there are at least fifteen from both sides combined."_

"_Our side will start," meowed Whitefire, "I am Whitefire."_

"_KJ!" meowed a ragged brown-furred tom._

"_Maggie," a cheerful ginger and cream colored she-cat chirped._

"_Trisha," added a brown she-cat._

"_Hi! I'm Sanna!" mewed a tiny silver kit. She could be no older than two moons and sported unusual black spots._

"_I'm Seth. Pleased to meet you all," Seth bowed his head slightly, "I am the one stupid enough to contradict Rebekka. I'm in hiding here in the Funkypelt nest."_

_Maddie glanced at Seth and licked her own shoulder, and nodded at the dog._

"_This is Maddie. She's Freddy's sister."_

_The tabby she-cat nodded._

"_I'm sure she can introduce herself, no?" asked Flame._

"_She's mute," explained Freddy._

"_I see… sorry about that."_

_Maddie shrugged and nodded._

"_She forgives you, don't worry," assured Seth._

"_And you are?" grunted Terry, motioning towards the gray tom._

"_I'm… Greenstone," he replied. Whitefire glanced at him, eyes narrowed._

"_Alright now," meowed Whitefire, "Your group's turn."_

"_Terry," grumbled the Yorkshire Terrier._

"_My name is Maya," barked the Malamute._

"_Ginger," added the Akita Inu._

"_Maryll," meowed the tabby she-cat._

"_Jerome," the ginger tom put in._

"_I'm Flame," barked the Borzoi._

"_I'm called Freddy," meowed the ginger-and-white tom._

"_I'm sure you all know that I'm December," meowed the white cat._

"_Right, so… We've got me, Freddy, December, Flame, Maryll, Jerome, Ginger, Maya, Terry, Maddie, Seth, KJ, Sanna, Trisha, Maggie, and Greenst—Greenstone," listed Whitefire, "We'll meet again here at the first snow fall."_

_Freddy and December turned to leave. The ginger-and-white tom felt a tug on his tail. He turned to see Sanna, the little silver kit._

"_I didn't know that Maddie had a brother! I bet you're just as nice as she is! I want to be just like Maddie when I grow up!" Sanna looked down at her paws, "I had a brother. But he… left the world. Sometimes I can hear his voice. I bet he's watching over me. He looked a lot like you, you know! Can I call you big brother? Okay! Yay! I'll see you soon, big brother!"_

"_Come on, Sanna!" meowed Trisha, leading the kit away._

_Sanna ran up to Maddie. "Wait for me, big sister!"_

_Maddie licked Sanna's ear._

"_Stop it! That tickles!" giggled the silver kit._

_Everyone said their goodbyes and returned to their sides of the territory. _

_As Freddy and December headed back to the doghouse, December spoke up._

"_I forgot you had a sister," he mumbled._

"_Brilliant," teased Freddy, "Come on, let's hurry. Your ears are turning pink. It's getting chilly, you know!"_

"_Shut up," muttered December._

_Freddy laughed._

_Life went on. Freddy groomed Rebekka's pelt every day. December still took frequent breaks. Maddie taught Seth her sign language. Whitefire and Greenstone made preparations._

_Then, one day, one month later, a pawstep of snow fell, covering the ground. The group met on that night._

"_I can't wait to see Maddie," meowed December on the way to the meeting._

_Freddy stared at him._

"_A-and Sanna, and everyone else of course!"_

"_Yeah… Sanna's really sweet. Maddie seems to be a lot happier. She's always wanted a friend like that."_

_They arrived at the Upwalker nest._

"_Is everyone here?" asked Flame, "Freddy?"_

"_I'm here!"_

"_December?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_Terry?"_

_There was a grunt._

"_Maryll?"_

"_Right here."_

"_Jerome?"_

"_Uh-huh."_

"_Maya?"_

"_Yup."_

"_Ginger?"_

"_Here."_

"_Greenstone?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Whitefire?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_Seth?"_

"_I'm here."_

"_Maddie?"_

"_She's here."_

"_KJ,"_

"_Yup."_

"_Maggie?"_

"_Hi!"_

"_Trisha?"_

_There was no reply._

"_Sanna?"_

_No reply._

"_Where are Trisha and Sanna?" asked Flame._

_Freddy frowned and glanced at Maddie. She saw him and approached, burying her head in his shoulder._

"_Maddie… What's wrong?"_

_December looked concerned. "What's wrong with her?" he looked around. Everyone on Ember's territory's heads were down as well. Finally, it was Greenstone who spoke._

"_Trisha and Sanna… Ember… He killed them."_

_Maddie sobbed onto Freddy's shoulder. The ginger-and-white tom's eyes widened._

"_What… What happened?"_

"_Trisha was walking by Ember and didn't bow her head. He attacked her, and Sanna… she got in the way. She told Ember to stop. He killed her too."_

"_He didn't just kill her, Greenstone," growled Whitefire softly, "He tore her apart."_

"_That's not fair!" yowled Maryll, "She was just a kit!"_

"_What right does Ember have? Even though I'm a dog… That's going too far!" snarled Maya, tears in her eyes._

_Freddy looked down at his sister. He was fully aware of a wet stain of tears on his shoulder. Sanna's death had hit her hard._

"_Their deaths won't be in vain," snarled Flame, "We'll escape in their honor."_

_Everyone agreed. They went outside and started to pile the snow outside the Upwalker Nest. By the time all the snow nearby was gathered, their hill was only a foxlength high._

"_We'll meet again when more snow has fallen," decided Greenstone, "It won't be too long."_

_For another two months, every time snow fell, the group gathered and piled up snow. In that time, Maggie was killed by Ember. Jerome succumbed to an illness, and Ginger and Maryll died of hunger. Food was scarce now. The Upwalker living in the nest had just disappeared. Freddy and December remained well-fed. Some of the food that Rebekka got was taken to December._

_Now, only Greenstone, Whitefire, KJ, Maddie, Seth, Terry, Maya, Freddy, December, and Flame remained._

_Finally, the hill of snow was high enough for Flame to jump over._

"_It's perfect," meowed Whitefire, he turned and looked at the Yorkshire Terrier, "Terry might not be able to jump over."_

_Said dog snorted._

_Flame laughed. "I'll carry you over."_

"_I think I'd rather die," retorted Terry._

_Maddie smiled. She was standing next to December. She was glad that they were going to be able to escape._

"_We'll meet here tomorrow, and we'll escape this hell," barked Flame._

_Terry grinned. "Finally."_

_Everyone returned to their sides of the yard._

"_I wonder what life in the Clans is like," thought Freddy aloud. He, December, and Maddie stayed at the Upwalker nest to talk before parting ways._

_Maddie shrugged._

"_Clan life?" asked December, "What's that?"_

_Freddy explained to December the things that Whitefire told him on the first night of his stay at the animal hoarder._

"_Sounds interesting," meowed the white tom, "I'd like to have a cool name like Whitefire and Greenstone. Iceeyes! What do you think?"_

"_I think Icebrain is more fitting," teased Freddy._

"_Hey!"_

_Maddie giggled._

"_Maddie… did you just laugh?" asked Freddy incredulously._

_The tabby she-cat nodded, smiling._

Sometimes I can make some noise…

"_That's great!" exclaimed December, who was slowly learning Maddie's sign language, "I bet you'll be able to talk in no time!"_

_Said she-cat grinned._

"_Well… we'd better go," meowed Freddy, "See you tomorrow, Maddie!"_

_December touched Maddie's shoulder with the tip of his tail. "See you tomorrow."_

_The two cats slept peacefully that night. They groomed Rebekka's fur with no complaints. Freddy didn't care that his neck was hurting. They were going to escape!_

_Freddy wanted to join PrairieClan. He, December, and Maddie would make an amazing team. Every cat in the four clans would honor their names!_

"_You may go," Rebekka's voice broke through Freddy's thoughts._

"_Already? It's kind of early, no?" the question had just slipped out. The ginger-and-white tom flattened his ears and looked at his paws, "Apologies, your Highness."_

"_It's alright," whispered Rebekka. Freddy could feel her sky blue eyes boring into his head, "Go now."_

_Freddy and his white-furred companion padded out of Rebekka's den._

"_That was stupid of you," hissed December._

"_It just slipped out! Besides, I'm alive, aren't I?"_

"_Yeah. Just be careful."_

"_I don't have to be. Not after tonight."_

_December grinned. "Oh yeah! Right!"_

_Freddy and December rested at the doghouse until the sun was down._

"_Come on."_

_Flame stood at the entrance of the doghouse. Maya was behind him._

"_What about Terry?" asked Freddy._

"_I can't find him," explained Maya, "Maybe he went already. In any case, we have to go __**now**__. We don't have much time."_

_The two cats nodded and followed the dogs. They met KJ, Greenstone, Whitefire, Maddie, and Seth at the border of territories._

"_Ready?" asked Greenstone._

_Flame nodded._

_The entire group reached the hill of snow._

_And eerie laugh echoed._

"_Who's there?" snarled Flame._

"_My, my. Is that any way to talk to your leader?" Rebekka stepped out of the shadows._

"_Y-your Highness!" chocked the Borzoi, "Apologies!"_

"_Yes… I'd like you to meet the new General."_

_Flame, Maya, Freddy, and December's eyes widened. The title of 'General' was only given to the highest-ranking dogs._

"_General Terry, step forward."_

_Terry appeared next to Rebekka, his remaining eye glinting with malice. His fur was well-groomed._

"_I assume you're all wondering about how Terry got this rank," Rebekka grinned cruelly, "Well, you see, Terry was rewarded this rank when he informed me about a pack of traitors. I am sure you all know who I'm talking about."_

_KJ bristled and glared at the Yorkshire Terrier. "How could you!? We trusted you, you filthy son of a—"_

_The brown-furred tom was bowled over by Logan, a tough, high-ranking Bulldog. Logan sunk his teeth into the cat's throat, silencing him for the last time. Terry didn't flinch. Freddy shuddered._

"_KJ!" howled Maya._

"_Traitor!" growled Flame._

_Rebekka laughed. "I think you are the traitor here, Flame. Jordan?"_

_An enormous Great Dane pinned the Borzoi down._

"_Give my regards to your family in hell," snarled the white dog, "You'll be joining them in a moment."_

"_NO!"_

_Rebekka gasped. Standing in front of her, white pelt bristling in rage, glaring daggers from ice blue eyes, was none other than December._

"_December… What are you doing here?"_

"_Trying to escape! Let Flame go!"_

"_You… betrayed me?" Rebekka was genuinely shocked, "I… I took such good care of you! I treated you so well! How could you?"_

"_I've had it with watching you kill others!" hissed December, "You think I'd stand by and watch? KJ was my friend! Maryll, Jerome, and Ginger too! You stood and watched them starve, when you had more than enough food for yourself! I hate you! I hate you as much as I hate Ember for killing my family!"_

_Rebekka swayed on her paws. "December…"_

_Greenstone sprung forward and slashed his claws across Jordan's throat, striking a vein in his neck. The Great Dane fell, dead. Flame scrambled to his paws._

_Freddy stared at the gray cat in amazement. He had knocked down a dog four times his size in one blow! Such power… he must have had an extremely high rank back in PrairieClan!_

"_We fight! We fight for freedom!" yowled Greenstone._

"_Fight!" echoed Whitefire._

_The next five minutes seemed like a blur to Freddy. Terry had attacked him at some point, and Whitefire had leapt in front of him. The Yorkshire Terrier was no match for the powerful Warrior of PrairieClan._

"_For KJ, Ginger, Maryll, Jerome, Trisha, and Sanna!" he yowled before delivering the killing blow._

_The snow all around was tainted red._

"_December, Freddy!" Seth howled, "This way! We're escaping! Now!"_

_Freddy snapped out of a trance. He and December joined Maddie, Seth, Maya, Flame, and Greenstone on the summit of the snow hill. Flame leaped over the fence, carrying December. Maya followed, with Freddy, then Seth with Maddie. Greenstone was strong enough to clear the jump without help._

_The gray cat turned around. Whitefire was on the edge of the hill._

"_Come on! Hurry!" yowled Greenstone._

_Whitefire was about to leap when Rebekka appeared behind him, catching his legs in her jaws._

"_Whitefire!" howled Seth._

"_Let him go! Whitefire!" shrieked Maya._

"_No…" whispered Greenstone, "This can't be happening…"_

_Whitefire squirmed out of Rebekka's grasp and fell off the hill. He faced Greenstone from the other side of the fence. His legs were hopelessly mangled._

"_Go on…" he whispered hoarsely, "Go home… The Clan needs you… you've been gone for too long."_

"_But… You're deputy! You can't do this!" protested the gray tom, pressing his paw against the fence, "Whitefire! Climb back up! You can make it!"_

_Whitefire shook his head. "Look at my legs. I… can't even walk. I won't go down without a fight, don't worry."_

"_No! You're deputy!"_

"_You said you saw the traits of a leader in Blazingflame… Go! Forget about me! Besides… _**She**_ needs you."_

"_Stupid cat!" snarled Rebekka, "I'll kill you!"_

"_GO! Don't look back!"_

_Flame had to drag Greenstone away. Freddy followed, but disobeyed Whitefire. He glanced once more time back at the home of the animal hoarder._

"_Whitefire!" yowled Greenstone, "Whitefire!"_

_Whitefire slashed out one of Rebekka's eyes. Rebekka lunged at the cat. Then there was blood._

"_WHITEFIRE!"_

_Maddie was crying into December's fur. The group of traitors continued along the road._

"_He… could've been Whitestar…" whispered Greenstone, "He could've been leader! It was his lifelong dream! Why, StarClan?! Why has this happened?!"_

"_We won't forget him," muttered Flame._

"_Rebekka…" hissed December, "If I ever see her again… I'll kill her."_

_End Flashback_

"We parted ways after that. Two groups, really. Myself, Maddie, December and Greenstone wanted to go towards the Clans. Maya and Flame went further into the Upwalker city. Flame wanted to tell his mate's brother what had happened to her, and Maya wanted to find her old owner. She had been stolen as a pup, and she never saw her Upwalker friend again."

"What about Seth?" asked Rainpaw.

"He was caught by the Upwalkers and taken back to the shelter. We never thought we were going to see him again. We were close to the prairie. Greenstone said he could almost smell the prey. Suddenly, Greenstone disappeared and December got sick. We hid in a shed in an Upwalker garden and Maddie tried to heal him. That's when the real trouble started…"

"Meaning?" Silverdiamond put in.

"We did see Seth again. But the Upwalkers that adopted him… They caught us in the shed and brought us into their nest. They kept us in a place with little food or water. It was horrible."

"So in the end, you were all together again, right?"

"Yes… but it wasn't the same. Seth had changed…"

_What happened? _thought Quietpaw.

"I'll tell you."

Quietpaw jumped. It was almost as if Freddy was reading her mind. Said ginger-and-white cat laughed.

"Maddie was mute, remember? I could understand her easily."

"Go on with the story!" growled Acidpaw impatiently.

"Fine! Fine! Sheesh…" meowed Freddy, "As I was saying, Seth had changed dramatically…"

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I know… That's a really crappy way to end a chapter. I was trying to find a good place to stop, but I couldn't. Freddy's story is really long, isn't it? Well… At least only half of the next chapter is the rest of his story, then we move on. Once again, sorry for the really long wait!


	6. Freddy's Story: Part Three

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors, but I own my characters.

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**Shandril Wielder of Spellfire**: Thanks! :D

**Princess of Lightning**: Yeah… Freddy does have a really long story.

**Little Black Inkblot****: **I enjoyed writing Terry's personality, and if he weren't a traitor, then he might have made another appearance later.

**Moonstar of FireClan: **Actually, Seth and Acidpaw **have** met. Seth attacked him. If you go back to chapter one of book one, it was Seth who injured Acidpaw's shoulder. Bad Seth. No, Quietpaw isn't Maddie. And yes, isn't Seth sweet? He's a giant teddy bear at heart. Then something happened. You'll find out what happened in this chapter. As for Roaringbreeze… he's still out there… lurking… stalking… Ah! Behind you! Kidding, kidding.

**Mintytooth: **I hated having to make Whitefire die. But it was necessary.

**Ghostfur: **Thanks for reviewing! Your pen-name is cool. That was a really random comment.

**Homemade Pan****cakes:** Thanks! Urgh. I can understand why you didn't like the beginning. I wrote it last year, and when I looked back at it recently I gagged. My poor eyes… my poor readers' eyes. I'm going to have to edit the first chapter, maybe when I'm done writing the series. Yes… the mysterious December… Mwahaha… I'm glad that you like the story as it is now! Thanks again for reviewing!

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**A/N: **As an apology for the late update of the previous chapter, here's an extra-long chapter! Also, I'm putting the finishing touches on the next chapter. I actually have all the remaining chapters planned out, so now reviews shouldn't be so few. Shouldn't be. So… There might be some late updates due to that horror called homework. But other than that, it's going well, so enjoy the chapter!

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**Chapter Six**

**Freddy's Story: Part Three**

"As I was saying, Seth had changed dramatically…"

Freddy began to tell his story once again.

_Flashback…_

"_Seth!" exclaimed Freddy, "I thought I'd never see you again!"_

_Seth was with December, Freddy, and Maddie in the enclosed area of the Upwalker nest._

"_Same here," replied Seth. He sounded a little distracted, "Where's Greenstone?"_

_Maddie shook her head and scratched nervously at the ground._

"_He disappeared? When?"_

"_Right after December got sick," explained Freddy, "We woke up in the shed and he was gone. Then we were caught and brought here."_

"_Those horrible Upwalkers," snarled December, coughing once, "They held us too tight!"_

"_Yes… horrible," muttered Seth._

"_**Come."**_

"_It's the Funkypelts," mumbled Seth, "They're calling me. I need to go."_

"_Okay. I'm coming," meowed Freddy. He followed Seth up the stairs._

"_NO!" howled Seth, "If they see you… Look. Just don't follow me, okay?"_

_Freddy stopped, starting in shock at his best friend. What had gotten into him?_

"_**You stupid animal! Don't make any noise!"**__ more senseless shouts of Upwalkers came from behind the door._

"_I don't understand what's wrong with him," whispered Freddy, "We're such good friends…"_

_Maddie nudged her brother and licked her rib cage. She clawed at the ground._

"_You're right, Maddie. That scar on his side wasn't there when we last saw him."_

_December nodded. "I noticed that too."_

_Freddy frowned, "I wonder what happened."_

"_I have a bad feeling about this…"_

_A few hours later, Seth came back to the room that the cats were being held in. His front legs and back were dripping with blood._

"_Seth!" yowled Freddy, "What happened to you?"_

_Seth collapsed onto one side, gasping for breath. Maddie rushed over and started cleaning his wounds. She shot her brother and December a glance that clearly read: 'Don't just stand there! Help me!'_

_The two toms approached and helped, as requested._

_When Seth finally came to, the dog was immediately bombarded with questions about how he got his injuries._

"_It beat me up…" whimpered Seth, "The Funkypelt…"_

_The dog would not say another word._

_Maddie never took her eyes off him. December stood next to her._

"_He'll be okay," he reassured, "He's a Doberman. There isn't a kind of dog stronger than him."_

_Maddie leaned against the white cat. _Thanks…

_December's ears went pink. He thanked his lucky stars that Freddy was asleep._

_Every day it was the same. Seth would leave early in the morning and come back late at night, covered in injuries. Every day, he would speak less than the day before._

_One night, Seth came back and he looked like a different dog._

"_What the…" muttered Freddy._

_He was sporting a black collar with platinum spikes, but that was not what was the most different. Seth's ears used to be long and floppy with velvety fur, but now they were short and triangular, and they stood straight up. His tail was also quite long before, but now it was just a stump._

_December shook his head sadly. "It's called 'docking' I think."_

_Maddie put her head to one side._

"_It's when dogs are taken to the Vet and their ears and tails are cut shorter," explained December. The two other cats looked horrified._

"_Why would a Upwalker do such a thing?" growled the orange-and-white tom, shaking in anger. His long fur bristled._

_December shook his head. "I'm not sure."_

_The three cats were silent for a moment, when December looked up sharply._

_Maddi put her head to one side. _What is it?

"_My father once told me that some dogs' ears and tails were docked when they became fighting dogs," he answered._

"_But Seth… isn't going to fight, is he?" asked Freddy, "I mean, the Upwalker __**does **__beat him, but… it wouldn't make him fight, would it?"_

_No one replied._

_One day, Seth came back with a nasty bite mark on his right foreleg._

"_What happened?" asked Freddy automatically. He wasn't sure that his friend would answer._

_December already knew the answer. It was what they feared._

"_They… They made me fight my own kind. Another Doberman. He was only six months old… I knocked him out, but he still left a mark on me."_

"_That's horrible!" hissed Freddy._

_Seth didn't hear him. He was already asleep._

_The worst had been confirmed: Seth was now a fighting dog._

_The next day, Seth came back nearly torn apart. He was bleeding from so many places that the three cats were afraid that he wasn't going to survive the night._

_Freddy couldn't sleep out of worry for his best friend._

"_Freddy?"_

_The orange-and-white cat jumped._

"_Seth? You're awake? What happened?"_

"_I was up against a Mastiff. I won, but I was tired, but the Funkypelt didn't let me rest. It made me fight a Tosa dog. I… I lost. And the Funkypelt was angry with me and beat me," Seth was silent for a moment, "Listen, the Funkypelt is beating me worse every day… every time it does, I feel this horrible rage… Like I want to kill something. It's corrupting me! It's the same when I fight other dogs! Sometimes I lose control! It's messing with my head! I'm scared that one day I won't hold back and I'll hurt one of you. I'm so afraid… I don't want any of you to get hurt because of me."_

_Seth's eyes were squeezed shut and he was trembling. Freddy grit his teeth. How dare these Upwalkers do something so cruel to his friend?!_

"_It won't happen," assured Freddy._

"_Th-thanks."_

_Seth's fights went on for two weeks. Every day he came back battered. Maddie was up for many nights in a row taking care of his wounds. She was so worried about him that December had to drag her away while Seth was sleeping, so that she could get some rest of her own. The white cat and Freddy were worried too._

_The orange-and-white tom thought more and more about what Seth told him that night. What if Seth was right? What if he couldn't hold back anymore? What if Seth lashed out at one of them? What if someone got hurt? What if someone got killed?_

_One night, the Funkypelt came down to the little enclosed space with Seth. Seth was not hurt in any way and had a look of fury in his eyes. His paws and fangs were covered in blood that was not his own._

_Maddie stepped towards him. She nudged him gently._

_Suddenly, Seth whirled around and sunk his fangs into her throat, growling viciously. Her eyes widened in shock and she staggered back._

"_Maddie!" yowled December. He rushed towards her and crouched down next to her, "Hang in there, Maddie! You'll be okay!"_

"_My sister!" howled Freddy, joining December beside her._

_Seth watched with a look of horror on his face. "What… what have I done?"_

"_**Yes! Good dog!"**_

_The Funkypelt started petting Seth and scratching him behind his shortened ears. The Doberman didn't react at all._

"_Maddie… No…" he whispered._

_The Funkypelt returned upstairs._

"_Maddie!" wailed December, "Don't go! You can't do this to me! Maddie!"_

"_Stay strong!" whispered Freddy, "Maddie… please!"_

_Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice rang out. It was raspy and sounded hoarse._

"…_Don't blame… Seth… blame… Upwalkers… Freddy… best brother… cat could have… December…best… friend…" The light dimmed from Maddie's eyes as her breathing stopped._

"_NO!" howled both toms._

_Seth ran over to the wall and started hitting his head violently against it. His breathing was shallow and shaky. Tears leaked from his eyes and blood trickled from the broken skin on his head. "WHAT HAVE I DONE?! WHAT HAVE I DONE?! MADDIE! NO!"_

_Freddy, trembling, looked at Seth._

"_HOW COULD THEY DO THIS? I KILLED HER, AND THEY PRAISED ME! THEY PRAISED ME! WHY? WHAT'S WRONG WITH THEM! I KILLED HER… I'M A MONSTER!"_

"_Seth…" whispered Freddy._

"_DON'T COME NEAR ME! I MIGHT KILL YOU TOO! PLEASE! STAY AWAY!"_

_From that moment on, Seth's rage-spasms, as December called them, became more and more frequent. When he was sane, he would stay as far away from his friends as possible._

_After two days, December padded towards Seth, whose muzzle was buried in his paws._

"_Seth?"_

"_Wh-what are you doing?" stammered the dog, his shoulders shaking, "St-stay away… please… I'm b-begging you."_

_But December didn't back away. "I want to find a peaceful place to bury Maddie. I don't want her to rot here."_

_Seth flinched. "I'm so s-sorry."_

_December ignored his apology. If he said anything about it, then it would probably trigger a rage-spasm. December wasn't trying to be mean, he just had to be extremely careful about what he said. "All I need is a chance to get out."_

_Seth jolted to his paws, an angry yet sorrowful look in his eyes. "I… can't just let you leave! The Funkypelt… it'll kill me! You're crazy!"_

"_If you cared about Maddie, then you'd understand."_

"_Of course I care about her! But… I killed her… I…"_

_Seth broke off, not knowing what to say. Finally, he continued, his eyes hard and glittering coldly._

"_Fine. I'll see if I can create a diversion. If I die… no, if the Funkypelt kills me for it, then all the better. I don't want to live."_

_December clenched his teeth. He hated seeing his friend like that, but he didn't say anything about Seth's will, or lack thereof, to live._

_It was the next day when the Funkypelt opened the door to get Seth that December slipped out of the Upwalker nest with Maddie's body._

_As the Funkypelt opened the door, Seth sprang forward, grabbing the Funkypelt's furless paw in his jaws and biting down hard, dragging it down the stairs. The creature screeched in pain and started kicking Seth in the ribs and stomach, attempting to get him off. Seth held on, growling furiously and withstanding blow after blow delivered by the Funkypelt._

_December's eyes widened as he watched his friend getting beaten from the top of the stairs._

_Seth let go of the Funkypelt, its blood dripping from his fangs. "What are you doing? Run!"_

_December was as frozen to the spot. The Funkypelt kicked the dog hard in the ribs again._

"_This is your idea of a diversion?!" yowled the white tom, "You're going to get killed!"_

_Seth's eyes darkened. "That's the point. I—"_

_The furless beast had slammed its foot into Seth's chest, and the dog coughed up blood. The Funkypelt held a struggling Seth by the collar. _

"_Just go!" he howled. He glanced at Freddy, "You too! Get out while you have the chance!"_

"_Seth… I can't just leave you here!" hissed Freddy._

"_Listen to me! I'm not the dog I used to be! I won't be able to live with the shame of knowing that I killed my best friend's sister! It would be best if I died! This is what I want!" Seth's eyes glistened with tears, "GO!"_

_December ran and didn't look back. Freddy dashed for the stairs. The orange and white tom reached the top and looked back at Seth, who was now on the floor, gasping for breath._

"_Seth!"_

"_Go," he panted, "Forget about me, go!"_

_Freddy was torn. Should he just leave Seth? The Upwalker approached Freddy, shouting incoherent words._

"_You don't have much time!" howled Seth, "Run! I'm not asking you, I'm __**begging**__ you!"_

_The Funkypelt had a look of rage in its eyes at it came closer and closer to Freddy. Seth staggered to his paws, panting heavily. He launched himself onto the Funkypelt's back, sinking his teeth into its shoulder. The furless beast yelled in pain and began pounding Seth on the head._

_The two friends' eyes locked. There was a pleading look in Seth's eyes._

_Seth wasn't just buying Freddy time to escape, but he was preparing for his own death._

_Freddy would not allow that._

_The cat leaped at the Upwalker, yowling furiously._

_Freddy landed on the Funkypelt's head, clawing away some of its fur._

_It howled in fury and fell to the ground._

"_What are you doing?" growled Seth, "Get out of here!"_

"_I'll fight alongside you!" protested Freddy, "We can win!"_

"_No! Leave here! Leave here…" Seth hesitated, then his eyes hardened, "I'm forcing you to go!"_

_Seth suddenly picked up Freddy by the back and threw him up the stairs. Freddy somehow managed to land on his paws._

"_Seth! I'm coming back to help you!"_

"_No you won't!" snarled Seth, "Come back down here and I'll kill you!"_

_Freddy took a step back. Had he triggered a rage-spasm?_

No, _thought Freddy, _That's not it…

_Seth wanted to save him and didn't care about the price he might have to pay._

"_I'm sorry!" yowled Freddy before turning and running away, tears pooling in the corner of his eyes._

_Seth smiled for the first time in months. Freddy was so stubborn._

_Freddy looked around wildly, searching for a way out. He saw a door and sprinted towards it. There was a pet door there, and he dashed towards it. He could smell the outside air. So close to freedom…_

I'm sorry, Seth… and thank you…

_Just as he was about to burst through the pet door, something grabbed Freddy by the tail and flung him against a wall. He moaned in pain and everything went black._

_When Freddy opened his eyes, he was back in the enclosed space where he was before. He was on the bottom stair, and the door above was shut tight._

_Seth lay against a wall, unmoving. He was badly bruised up, and a long bleeding wound ran along his left foreleg._

"_Seth! Are you alright? Answer me! Seth!"_

_The dog didn't wake up until the next morning._

"_You hesitated. Why?"_

"_I… I didn't want to leave you there," meowed Freddy, looking at his paws, "You were going to die."_

"_Well I'm still alive now, aren't I?" growled Seth. His jaws clicked together and he glared at Freddy, "And I wanted to die! What part about that do you not understand?"_

_The dog lunged at Freddy, taken over by rage._

_Freddy leaped up onto a bookshelf, scrambling up to the top to avoid Seth, who stared angrily up at him._

_The dog blinked once, snapping out of his furious trance._

"_Freddy, promise me one thing," he whined, temporarily sane, "Just stay up there, okay? Don't come anywhere near me!"_

_Freddy nodded. What else could he do?_

_One week later, the Upwalker left and another had come. She was an old female Upwalker who let Seth and Freddy outside._

I have to get out of here, _thought Freddy, _I have to find December.

_Seth's anger was permanent now. He was no longer the best friend that Freddy once had._

_Four times Freddy had tried to escape, and the Upwalker had just watched and laughed as Seth beat him up worse and worse. It was when Rainpaw and Acidpaw came to get catmint from the garden that he had asked them to return. By the time they had come, Freddy was nearly dead._

_End Flashback…_

"That's horrible!" exclaimed Rainpaw, "I knew Twolegs could be bad, but I never thought that one would enjoy watching suffering!"

Acidpaw snorted. "Goes to show that you can't trust anyone anymore."

"I knew dogs were ill-tempered creatures, but I didn't realize that they could change their personality so quickly like that," meowed Silverdiamond, "But getting back to you, your injuries are fully healed. You're good as new, Freddy, so you can leave."

Freddy looked at his paws. "Actually… I was sort of hoping that I could… that I could stay. I originally thought I should go to PrairieClan, but Greenstone isn't there…"

"You'd have to speak to Pantherstar about that," meowed Silverdiamond. She glanced at Rainpaw and Acidpaw, "You two, escort Freddy to Pantherstar. She will decide."

Both apprentices nodded before turning out of the Medicine Cat den.

"Hey, wait up!" called Freddy, catching up to them. His eyes widened when he stepped into ForestClan camp for the first time. When he had come here the first time, he was unconscious. He immediately started asking questions about Clan life.

"We'll answer your questions after," meowed Rainpaw, "First, we need to see Pantherstar."

The three younger cats approached a hollow tree stump.

"What's this?" asked Freddy excitedly.

"The leader's den," replied Rainpaw, "Our leader, Pantherstar, sleeps here instead of in the Warriors' den."

Acidpaw bristled. "Or the nursery, for that matter. Because that's where she should be."

"Why?"

"Because she's a horrible mother who neglects her own kits."

"What?"

"Don't listen to him," advised Rainpaw, shooting a glare at her black-furred friend, "He's just a bit bitter towards Pantherstar."

"A bit?" snarled Acidpaw, "Don't make me laugh!"

"Sh!" silenced Rainpaw as they drew to the entrance of the Treestump. She looked into the den, "Pantherstar? Are you there?"

Soon, Pantherstar's cream-furred form emerged from the Treestump. "Yes? What is it Rainpaw?"

Rainpaw nudged Freddy forward. "Go on, then."

"Um… h-hi," he stammered.

"She can smell your fear-scent and won't be very impressed," hissed Acidpaw into Freddy's ear.

Freddy immediately stood straighter. "Hello, Pantherstar. I was wondering… I have nowhere to go… and… I don't want to leave ForestClan, if that's alright with you."

Pantherstar looked at Freddy through narrowed green eyes.

"Basically, you're saying that you want to be part of my Clan. Very well. However, you can be sure that you will never be deputy or leader," hissed the leader. She seemed to greatly dislike the former kittypet, "I'll call a Clan meeting immediately."

Pantherstar leaped up onto the Treestump and called, "All those old enough to catch their own prey, please meet me here under the Treestump!"

As soon as the Clan was gathered, Pantherstar began to speak.

"As you all know, a kittypet by the name of Freddy has been residing within the ForestClan Medicine Cat den for the past moon and a half. He wishes to have a chance to prove himself, so he will be granted a mentor," her green eyes bore into Freddy, "It is not guaranteed that he will have a name as a Warrior, but from this moment on, he will be known as Dogpaw, for just looking at him reminds me of the dog who caused my unborn kits to die. Hawktalon will mentor him, seeing as he has no current apprentice."

Acidpaw felt himself bristle. He was about to hiss a rude comment when someone else beat him to it.

"How **dare** you!" yowled a tiny voice.

Redkit stood at the edge of the nursery, her long ginger fur puffing out in every direction. Her ice blue eyes glinted in anger and her tiny pin-like claws were unsheathed.

"How dare you say that Hawktalon has no apprentice!" she snarled, "You're blind! Or stupid! Acidpaw is right there, you pathetic excuse for Clan leader! I hate you! I wish you'd died instead of Redstar! Even if I wasn't born, it's better that you were dead than turn this Clan into the foxdung that it is! I think I speak for more than one of us when I say that you should not have been chosen Clan leader! Sometimes I wonder what StarClan was **thinking** when they gave you nine lives!"

"Redkit!" came Feathersoul's sharp reply.

Acidpaw had never seen the gentle queen look so angry.

"Don't let me hear you say anything like that ever again! Respect your Clan leader, no, respect your **mother**!"

"Make me!" hissed Redkit, spitting the ground in front of Feathersoul, "Why should I respect Pantherstar? She's a stupid leader who hasn't done **anything** for me as her kit! What kind of mother doesn't even nurse their own kits?! What kind of mother doesn't give a foxdung about her own kits?!"

Tears of anger and frustration pooled in Redkit's eyes as she turned and sped out of camp.

Pantherstar, still up on the Treestump, looked unfazed. She looked down on the rest of the Clan.

"This meeting is over. You may resume your duties."

Acidpaw approached Hawktalon and Dogpaw. Hawktalon's shoulders were shaking angrily. He looked at his elder apprentice.

"Acidpaw, I don't understand why she does this to you. This isn't fair," Hawktalon looked back at his other, newer apprentice, "I have nothing against you, Dogpaw, I'm glad to train you in the ways of the Warrior. Please don't blame yourself for the death of Pantherstar's unborn kits. You had nothing to do with it."

Dogpaw nodded, dipping his head in respect to Hawktalon. "Thank you."

"I would have Acidpaw show you around the territory, but he's still under punishment for another eighteen sunrises…"

Acidpaw rolled his eyes. "Don't remind me."

"Acidpaw!" called Falconbeak, "Chores!"

"I did them at dawn," meowed Acidpaw, smirking, "It would be so much wiser for me to go and hunt. They prey won't be running for much longer, seeing as it's leaf-bare—"

Falconbeak snarled. "You stay in camp under punishment!"

The deputy stalked away.

Acidpaw grinned. "I'm going to take a nap now. See you."

With a flick of his tail, Acidpaw entered the apprentice den.

From inside the nursery, Lionkit watched his mother returning to her den, his green eyes blazing angrily. Pantherstar knew that kits weren't allowed out of camp on their own, yet she didn't even send anyone out to look for her only daughter.

In an unusual display of out-of-character fury, Lionkit marched up to the leader's den, determined to make Pantherstar see the stupid things that she was doing. How dare she look so uncaring about her kits!

"Mother, I—" Lionkit stopped dead, his eyes wide at what he saw.

Pantherstar was curled up into a tiny ball, tears staining the fur of her cheeks. She looked up at her son.

"What is it, Lionkit?" she replied feebly before turning away, tucking her muzzle into her front paws.

Lionkit took a few steps forward, in awe at the fact that his mother, leader of ForestClan, was crying.

"Mother…" Lionkit pushed his head under her paw and wriggled closer to her so that her front leg was resting on his back. He licked his mother's cheek, "It's okay… It'll be okay…"

Pantherstar licked her son between his ears. "Thank you."

Soon Lionkit drifted off to sleep…

_Lionkit walked through a dark forest. Suddenly, a black form caught his eye._

_The kit spun around. "Wh-who's there?"_

"_No one," replied a voice. Lionkit realized that it was his voice. He had been having dreams of himself becoming a black cat very often._

"_Lies," hissed Lionkit, "You'll just come out of the dark and scream in my face: 'I'm you!'"_

_The voice laughed evilly. "Quite right."_

_All of a sudden, the black cat emerged from the shadows and pinned him down, sinking his teeth into his throat. Lionkit's vision blurred, then refocused._

Well, this is new… _he thought._

_Lionkit tried to open his mouth to speak, but he couldn't._

_He found himself walking forward instead. He saw a tabby cat that looked like Indigokit, but a lot older. He was severely injured with one of his front paws at a strange angle. There was also a scar passing over his left eye._

"_Kill him," meowed a female's voice._

_Then he heard himself say. "As you wish, my dearest."_

What…? But I don't want to hurt that cat…

"_Please…" rasped the cat in front of him, "You don't want to kill me, do you? S—"_

"_Silence!" yowled the female's voice. Her voice was directed at Lionkit now, "Hurry up and kill him. He ruined my life!"_

"_Of course, dearest," he purred._

_Lionkit felt sick._

Please leave this poor cat alone, _he prayed._

_But Lionkit felt his legs keep walking._

No…

_Lionkit leaped at the other cat._

No!

_Lionkit sunk his fangs into the other cat's throat._

"NO!"

"Are you alright, Lionkit?"

Lionkit blinked open his eyes. Feathersoul stood over him.

"Pantherstar brought you back here when you started tossing and turning in your sleep. She was worried."

"I see…" Lionkit mewed. He glanced out of the nursery. The sun was setting, "I've been sleeping for a long time!"

Feathersoul laughed. "Of course you did! You always sleep that long!"

"Where's Redkit?"

"She isn't back yet. And the patrol didn't see her. I'm worried. It's all my fault! I shouldn't have snapped at her like that!"

"It wasn't your fault, Feathersoul," Lionkit thought for a moment. "If she hasn't been found, then clearly she doesn't **want** to be found."

"Yes… That's just like her… but how do we know whether she's alright or not?"

"That's simple," mewed Lionkit matter-of-factly, "Send Acidpaw looking for her. She respects Acidpaw a lot, and she's really close to him, so she would go to him."

"Really?" asked Feathersoul, "I never thought Acidpaw was close to anyone."

Lionkit shrugged. "You learn something new every day."

"I'll ask Pantherstar to send Acidpaw to look for her, then," affirmed Feathersoul, stepping out of the nursery, "Lightningkit and Soulkit are with Hollythorn, just so you know."

Lionkit nodded. He hoped Acidpaw could find his sister.

_Medicine Cat den…_

"It's time to go, Rainpaw," meowed Silverdiamond.

"Huh?"

"Medicine Cat meeting," reminded the Medicine Cat, "It's the half moon."

"Oh, really?" meowed Rainpaw, "It is! I nearly forgot!"

"You can't forget when you take my place as Medicine Cat."

"I won't, don't worry, Silverdiamond."

"Good."

The two Medicine Cats padded out of camp.

"Do you think Acidpaw will find Redkit?" asked Rainpaw.

"If he can't then no one will," meowed Silverdiamond.

"Silverdiamond?"

"Yes, Rainpaw?"

"CanyonClan doesn't have a Medicine Cat… So how are they doing?"

Silverdiamond shrugged. "I'm sure they're fine. CanyonClan is quite strong, and they will no doubt tell us if they need help."

Rainpaw frowned. "But is it against the Warrior Code to not have a Medicine Cat?"

"I… actually don't know, but if StarClan does not approve of CanyonClan's situation, then they'll let Silentstar know," replied the Medicine Cat. Changing the subject, she added, "Let's hurry. We don't want to be late."

The Medicine Cat apprentice dashed after her mentor.

_ForestClan territory…_

Acidpaw padded towards the Twist. He had been granted permission to leave camp to look for Redkit.

He decided that going to the Twist would be a good idea because he might spot the kit from up there. There was another reason: up in the high branches of the Twist, the air was free of the scent of the Clans. There was nothing but clean air. It was the perfect place to clear his mind. He went up there to forget his troubles.

As Acidpaw was about to leap onto the lowest branch of the giant tree, he spotted a small mass of ginger fur in the higher branches. It was without a doubt the very cat he was looking for. Once again, Acidpaw had a feeling that he had met a cat like Redkit somewhere else.

Silently, Acidpaw scaled the tree and reached the branch behind Redkit.

"Hey," he meowed casually.

Redkit was startled. "A-Acidpaw! How did you know I was up here?"

"I actually wasn't expecting you to be here."

Redkit giggled. "No one expected me to be here. That's the thing with older cats. They think that kits can't climb, so they don't bother looking up. The patrol passed three times."

Acidpaw smirked. "I used to play that trick when I was a kit."

"Really?"

Acidpaw nodded. The two were silent for a bit.

"I suppose I'm going to get in huge trouble when I go back down," sighed Redkit.

"If you look at everyone in the eyes, they don't say anything. If you avoid everyone's gaze, they pester you with questions. As long as you have the guts to lock your eyes with someone else's, you'll be fine."

"I assume you know from experience?"

"Of course."

There was another bit of silence.

"I feel kind of bad saying what I did," meowed Redkit, "It was mousebrained of me to do that. I hope I don't get into too much foxdung."

"Redkit, no matter what you hope, you'll definitely be in deep foxdung," replied Acidpaw, "You have to learn to control your temper. I hate being ordered around and neglected, but sometimes you have to just flatten your ears and give in. That's just the way things are. Believe me, if it wasn't that way, I'd definitely be more rude than I am now."

Redkit giggled.

Acidpaw growled. "What?"

"Nothing, I understand," mewed Redkit, laughing again, "It's just that whenever I use bad language, everyone reprimands me. But you just completely ignored that and said bad words yourself."

"Would you rather I reprimand you?"

"No!"

"Let's go back to camp, otherwise there'll be no fresh-kill for us."

"Right."

_Moonstone…_

The group of Medicine Cats was gathered around the tiny Moonstone.

"Ready?" asked Whitelily.

Everyone nodded and pressed the tips of their noses against the cold, round rock.

_Rainpaw was on the Gathering Island._

_Redstar was sitting in his usual place. He smiled at Rainpaw and motioned for her to sit._

"_There will be others joining us soon."_

_Suddenly, Lizardfang, the former ForestClan deputy appeared with his mate Flowerheart. Mangledpaw was with them._

"_Greetings, Mangledpaw, Rainpaw," started Redstar, "I am sure you have heard the prophecy many times, but I will repeat."_

"_What? Again? The same one that Lizardfang and Flowerheart have told me? I've only heard it a bazillion times!"_

_Lizardfang laughed. "You are indeed just like your father when he was young."_

"_Wha?" asked Mangledpaw, "Old Basilbrook? I've been told that he was the most serious, stony, boring cat the world has ever seen!"_

_Flowerheart giggled. "You're right, Lizardfang, there's nearly no difference."_

"_Hey, don't ignore me!" fumed the white-furred MountainClan apprentice._

"_Indeed," added Redstar. _

"_Just get on with it!" growled the MountainClan cat._

_The three StarClan cats began to recite the prophecy._

"_There are three: one who watches them as a star,_

_The others do not know who they truly are._

_The one of scarlet knows nothing of the diamond breeze,_

_The one of blazes fled far from the trees."_

"_Sheesh, don't I know it," muttered Mangledpaw._

"_I don't understand either, Redstar!" meowed Rainpaw._

"_The Prophecy of the Three Red Sons must be solved…" meowed Lizardfang's voice._

_The three StarClan cats were already fading away._

"_Oh for the love of StarClan, will you just spit out the answer already?" meowed Mangledpaw impatiently._

_But the StarClan cats were already gone._

Rainpaw blinked open her eyes at the same time as Mangledpaw.

"Oh, why can't they ever give me a straight answer?" moaned the long-furred white tom.

"I'm guessing we had the same dream," meowed Rainpaw.

"Yeah. I've been having the same ones since late greenleaf."

"Me too."

They were silent for a moment. The others were still fast asleep.

"I guess we should work on that prophecy," suggested Rainpaw.

"Three Red Suns? That doesn't make any sense!" growled Mangled in frustration, "The sun isn't red! And there certainly aren't three of them!"

"Redstar gave me a hint," meowed Rainpaw.

"Aw, what?! That's unfair!"

"Be quiet, daft furball! Do you **want **to wake up everyone else?"

"No… just tell me the hint."

"Fine," replied Rainpaw, "Just promise that you won't tell **anyone**, not even Scarletleaf."

"I promise."

"Alright," the ForestClan Medicine Cat Apprentice leaned towards Mangledpaw and whispered in his ear, "Redstar was Silverdiamond's son."

Mangledpaw's eyes widened. "What? But that's…"

Rainpaw nodded. "Yeah. Against the Warrior Code."

"It still doesn't make sense… Red suns?"

"The answer will probably come in time," meowed Rainpaw. She grimaced, "But when we do figure it out, I bet it'll be bad timing."

Mangledpaw laughed. "Probably."

Scarletleaf stirred and opened his eyes, looking troubled.

"StarClan hasn't been telling me **anything**…" he muttered to himself.

Soon, Silverdiamond and Whitelily awoke as well.

Before the Medicine Cats parted ways, Rainpaw approached Mangledpaw.

"Meet me here in three moonrises," meowed the ForestClan apprentice, "I have a feeling that if we don't figure out this prophecy, and quickly, something really bad will happen."

Mangledpaw nodded and turned to follow his brother down the tree.

Scarletleaf played the dream he had had in his head. There was a pool of blood, flashes of white and ginger, snapping silver jaws, and horrifying screeches. The ginger MountainClan cat shuddered. He hoped he wasn't going to die. The worst part was, Scarletleaf wasn't sure if his dreams were signs from StarClan or just ordinary nightmares.

Rainpaw padded into camp, concentrated on the prophecy. She had to figure out the meaning at all costs. As she entered the Medicine Cat den, she bumped into Silverdiamond, who had stopped.

Rainpaw's mentor stared at Quietpaw and Dogpaw.

Quietpaw was making motions with her tail and front paws, and Dogpaw, looking focused, was talking to her.

"So wait… You used to be in MountainClan, but they drove you out. When you were a kit, your sibling was stolen?"

Quietpaw nodded fiercely.

"That's terrible!"

Unease crept into the tabby she-cat's eyes.

"What's weird?" asked the former kittypet.

Quietpaw made more motions with her tail, and lifted her head as if sniffing the air.

Dogpaw frowned. "You're right, that **is** weird…"

"What is?" asked Rainpaw.

Dogpaw looked at her. "She says that when her sibling was stolen as a kit, she smelled CanyonClan."

--

Anyone getting the impression that CanyonClan is going to be in deep foxdung? Also the scene with December escaping and the fight with the Funkypelt, I didn't like it too much. Well, that's a lie, I liked it, but I was not sure whether it was good or not. I think that it was a little repetitive. Please comment on it if you'd like! Oh! Oh! And I was editing this chapter on the bus and I saw a Doberman! Coolness!


	7. The Truth of Quietpaw, Final Evidence

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors

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**some crazy girl who likes pie:** Heh… Evil lessons… Hey, can I use that term? 'Cause it's really good.

**Shandril Wielder of Spellfire: **… You're right. The word Funkypelt completely ruins the mood, doesn't it?

**Mintytooth: **Well the difference between Crazy Bluestar and Pantherstar is that Pantherstar still believes in StarClan's teachings… or whatever you call that.

**Little Black Inkblot: **Dogpaw's story was completely necessary, but it was waaaaay too long. -sweatdrops- I originally intended Dogpaw's story to be only one chapter, but, as you know, it… sort of… evolved into three… -goes and sobs in corner- Dogpaw is nine moons old, which is one moon younger than Rainpaw, and two moons younger than Acidpaw. Mangledpaw and Rainpaw **were** really slow in that chapter. It took them a while to catch on.

**ilovekataang: **To answer your question, Dogpaw can communicate easily with Quietpaw because his sister, Maddie, was also mute. Seeing as Dogpaw was able to communicate with Maddie, it was easier for him to communicate with Quietpaw. Thanks for reviewing!

**Moonstar of FireClan:** -sweatdrop- Yeah… I never intended for Freddy's story to be **that long**. Oh no! Not snow cubes! -hides behind blender- wait, that makes it easier for you, doesn't it? Thanks for reviewing!

**WolfSummoner93:** Thanks for reviewing! :) You're right. It's kinda like the ShadowClan incident all the way back in book one. But not entirely the same…

**Nightclaw:** Thanks! :) The only thing with long chapters is that they take a while to edit and such… -.-'

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**A/N:** I also plan my fanfiction in a separate document, like the allegiances of the beginning of book four… and I think some people might gasp if they saw the planning.

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**Chapter Seven**

**The Truth of Quietpaw, Final Evidence**

"She says that when her sibling was stolen as a kit, she smelled CanyonClan."

Rainpaw stared at Dogpaw, then looked to Quietpaw.

First it was Mistypaw, stolen by Roaringbreeze during a badger attack, then the mysterious disappearance of Arcticpaw of PrairieClan's littermate, and now Quietpaw's sibling!

"Roaringbreeze…" whispered Rainpaw.

Silverdiamond gave her apprentice a strange look. "What?"

"I need to speak to Pantherstar!" replied the white-furred she-cat, dashing out of the Medicine Cat den.

Rainpaw skidded to a halt in front of the Treestump. She scratched on the bark near the entrance. There was no answer.

"Are you looking for Pantherstar?" asked a voice behind her.

Rainpaw jumped. "Oh, Hawktalon! Yeah, I'm looking for Pantherstar."

"She just went out training in the Small Woods with Stripepaw," replied Acidpaw's mentor, pointing with his tail out of camp.

"Thanks so much, Hawktalon," meowed Rainpaw, bowing her head politely before turning and racing out of camp.

The Medicine Cat apprentice burst into the Small Woods, lost in thought.

_I can't believe my luck!_ Rainpaw thought, _We can really prove it this time! We've gathered enough evidence!_

"Watch out!" yowled a voice.

Rainpaw looked up, but too late. She collided with another cat.

"Ouch, Rainpaw! Watch where you're going, you crazy furball!" meowed the cat, rubbing her nose with her front paw.

"Sorry, Mistypaw!" replied Rainpaw.

Rainpaw suddenly realized that she should tell Mistypaw what she had learned from Quietpaw.

"Hey, you know Quietpaw?" asked Rainpaw.

The former CanyonClan apprentice nodded. "Oceanpaw came by and told me about her."

"Guess what? Dogpaw found out that—"

Mistypaw shook her head. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow down! Who's Dogpaw?"

"The kittypet, you know, Freddy? He had an apprentice ceremony and he's staying in ForestClan. He's Dogpaw now."

Mistypaw put her head to one side. "Him? A ForestClan apprentice? But isn't he a kittypet?"

Rainpaw rolled her eyes. "Please don't tell me that you're one of those cats that don't accept non-Clan cats."

"It just doesn't seem right… He doesn't have Warrior blood."

"Lest you forget," Rainpaw pointed out, "I don't have parents in ForestClan. According to Silverdiamond, I'm the kit of a rogue." _But Roaringbreeze told me that he knew my parents…_

"You're an exception, because you were raised as a clan cat."

"Freddy—no, Dogpaw—has had a harsh past and he has the potential to be a Warrior, but as I was saying, he's able to communicate with mute cats and he found out that when Quietpaw was a kit in MountainClan," Rainpaw paused for a dramatic effect, "She had a sibling that was kitnapped."

Mistypaw's eyes widened. "You mean…?"

Rainpaw nodded fiercely. "That's right. She smelled CanyonClan."

Mistypaw laughed gleefully. "We can prove it now! Finally! I regret doubting Dogpaw! Without him, we wouldn't have been able to find out!"

"I know! I have to find Pantherstar to tell her! Come on, Mistypaw!"

The two she-cats ran through the Small Woods until Mistypaw finally caught Pantherstar's scent.

The Clan leader was demonstrating a defensive battle crouch to Stripepaw. He tried to attack her, but she dodged effortlessly.

"Pantherstar?" called Rainpaw, "Sorry to interrupt, but I've found out something really important. Could I have a word with you?"

The Leader nodded and told Stripepaw to go hunting, and she approached the Medicine Cat Apprentice. Rainpaw explained what she had found out.

"We'll reveal what they've done at the next Gathering. We can't be sure that it was always Roaringbreeze doing the kitnapping, but we can still accuse CanyonClan. But before that, I'd like to speak to Quietpaw, just to confirm."

Rainpaw followed Pantherstar back to camp. Mistytail had stayed in the Small Woods, saying that she had something that she needed to do.

Mistypaw watched Rainpaw and Pantherstar leave. She padded further into the Small Woods and reached the CanyonClan border, where the trees started to become fewer and fewer. The silhouette of a cat stood in the shadows.

"Tell me what's wrong," meowed Mistypaw, "You've been distressed for quite some time now."

"Quietpaw is innocent…" whispered the cat, his voice sounding crushed by guilt, "I didn't want to convict her… I wish my brother would just disappear!"

"You were the one who said she was the Curse-Carrier?" asked Mistypaw.

"Yes… I can't believe I let that filthy mangy furball control me like that… I hate him, Mistypaw," replied the cat, sounding like he was about to burst into tears, "I… I want him to die! But he said that—"

"Shhh…" soothed Mistypaw, licking his ear gently, "I know… It'll be okay. He can't hurt me."

The cat touched noses with Mistypaw. "Thank you. If you weren't around, I don't know if I could withstand the guilt."

"I'll see you in two sunrises, okay?"

The cat nodded and turned. "I'll see you then."

Mistypaw watched him go, her eyes filling with tears. She spoke once he was gone. "You're wrong… If I wasn't around, you wouldn't be in pain like this. I'm so sorry…"

_ForestClan Medicine Cat den…_

"So, Quietpaw. You're absolutely sure that you scented CanyonClan when your sibling was stolen, right?"

Quietpaw nodded.

"Perfect," meowed Pantherstar, "At the next Gathering, we'll bring both Quietpaw and Mistypaw and we'll accuse CanyonClan."

Quietpaw took a step back and shook her head fiercely. Pantherstar looked to Dogpaw for translation.

"She says that she can't go to the Gathering," meowed the new ForestClan apprentice.

"Why not?" asked the Leader.

Quietpaw scratched nervously at the ground and flattened her ears.

"She can't be around MountainClan since they drove her out," meowed Freddy, "Because they accused her of being cursed."

"Cursed?" Pantherstar looked puzzled.

Quietpaw nodded.

"She says that she was called the Carrier of the Curses. I don't know what that's all about…"

Silverdiamond, who was busy sorting herbs in the corner, looked up sharply. "Did you just say Carrier of the Curses?"

"Yeah."

"That's impossible. Quietpaw is not the Carrier of the Curses. The Carrier of the Curses died about nine moons ago," Silverdiamond looked at Quietpaw, "Your mother was called Puresoul, right?"

Quietpaw blinked in surprise, but nodded.

"Puresoul was the last Curse-Carrier."

"What's a Curse-Carrier?" asked Rainpaw.

"The Carrier of the Curses, more commonly called the Curse-Carrier, was a cat who refused to fight. They all had weak vocal chords and were mute. They were never apprenticed, they never became Warriors, and were too young to become Elders. Other cats feared them, because it was said that wherever they walked, misfortune would spread. Most cats simply thought that they were going against StarClan by not fighting for their Clans," explained Pantherstar, "It was commonly discussed when I was an apprentice. But I thought the time of the Carrier of the Curses was over…"

Silverdiamond nodded. "It is. It ended with Puresoul breaking the tradition of no conflicts that her family had kept for many seasons. She had not fought a single cat until her mate was killed in a fight against a mountain lion. After that, she went one-on-one against the beast and killed it only hours after her kits were born, but she was severely injured and started seeing illusions. Everyone she saw was an enemy. She attacked her mate's brother and killed him, thinking he was a mountain lion. She died soon after from her wounds, her fur red instead of its original white."

Quietpaw tilted her head to one side.

"She says that she was told that her mother died giving birth," meowed Dogpaw.

Pantherstar frowned. "That's what I was told too."

"That's understandable. Only the Medicine Cats knew about it because MountainClan feared that since the Curse-Carrier tradition was broken by a very violent cat, then the curse must be evolving into something worse. Nothing bad has happened to MountainClan since Puresoul's death, at least nothing I know of, and Scarletleaf nor Mangledpaw have mentioned it. I trust that you will tell no one."

Everyone nodded.

"Good."

"Back to what we were saying before, if Arcticpaw of PrairieClan is at the Gathering, we'll have all three sources of evidence and we'll be able to prove that CanyonClan is guilty," meowed Pantherstar, "What we should do is have two Warriors with Quietpaw and Mistypaw waiting in the shadows of the trees and when the time is right, we'll give them a signal and they will come and we will accuse CanyonClan."

"Sounds alright," Silverdiamond nodded.

Quietpaw nodded in agreement, though she was shaking in fear.

"I'll ask Mistypaw if she's alright with that," offered Rainpaw.

Pantherstar nodded at her. "Good. I'm counting on you. But tell her in the morning. It's nearly dawn now, and everyone should get some sleep."

Rainpaw nodded and turned out of the Medicine Cat den.

"Dogpaw, go with Rainpaw. I asked Acidpaw to make a nest for you earlier," meowed Silverdiamond, "I'd like Quietpaw to stay in the Medicine Cat den for another night… after that…"

The Medicine Cat glanced at Pantherstar.

"We'll see," was all the leader said, "Now good night. The night training with Stripepaw has left me tired."

"Come on, Dogpaw," meowed Rainpaw.

The new ForestClan apprentice nodded and followed her.

As Rainpaw and Dogpaw entered the Medicine Cat den, Rainpaw noticed that Acidpaw was tossing and turning in his sleep.

The Medicine Cat apprentice frowned. It wasn't like Acidpaw to have nightmares.

Suddenly, the black-furred apprentice spoke in his sleep.

"No… I don't understand… who are you? There's… no such thing… as Three Red Suns…"

_Mountain Lower Territory…_

A long-furred white cat made his way through the woods of MountainClan territory with a large crow in his mouth. Leaf-bare was harsh, and he was lucky to have found such a large piece of prey.

He made his way through the snow. This kind of weather didn't really bother him, since he lived in the mountains. Though, the forest terrain was unfamiliar to him, even if it was in his own territory, and he actually found the forest quite creepy.

He knew he would receive a 'Mangledpaw, what were you doing out there?' from Hawkheart, a newly named Warrior. He was an arrogant cat, only became a Warrior a few sunrises ago, already had an apprentice, young aggressive Clawpaw.

Mangledpaw approached the base of the mountain. He was about to take the Spiral Path up to camp, which was located in a cave. He suddenly heard voices.

"You called me out here, Hawkheart?"

Mangledpaw rolled his eyes. Speak of the devil.

"I did."

Mangledpaw frowned. What business could Hawkheart possibly have with the deputy, Flameshadow? The white-furred cat hid in a bush nearby.

_I can see why ForestClan likes this terrain. It's convenient if you want to eavesdrop… _thought Mangledpaw.

"See… there is a plot in progress."

"A plot?" Flameshadow sounded confused.

"Yes, with MountainClan's ally, Roaringbreeze."

Mangledpaw's eyes narrowed. _Since when was MountainClan allied to Roaringbreeze?_

"When did this happen?" asked the deputy, voicing Mangledpaw's thoughts.

Hawkheart smirked. "A while back, actually."

Flameshadow growled. "Why wasn't I informed?"

"I don't know," meowed the brown tom innocently, "But…"

"But what?"

Hawkheart's eyes glinted maliciously. "I know that you're in the way!"

The brown tom leaped at the deputy, plunging his fangs into Flameshadow's throat. The black and ginger tom had no time to react and was knocked over easily.

Hawkheart tore his fangs across Flameshadow's throat, creating two deep gashes.

Mangledpaw suppressed the urge to run out there and help him.

_No, _he told himself firmly, _I'll wail until Hawkheart leaves, and then I'll help him. I'm a Medicine Cat._

Blood gurgled out of Flameshadow's mouth. Mangledpaw winced. Hawkheart had probably severed some vocal chords.

Hawkheart stood over him. "I'll tell you what's going to happen in MountainClan…"

The brown tom leaned next to Flameshadow's ear and started whispering. The deputy's eyes widened, then narrowed.

"Don't underestimate me!" rasped Flameshadow, kicking Hawkheart in the gut and forcing him backwards.

"Still got some fight left, old foxdung?" hissed Hawkheart, "I'll put an end to your life!"

"You're many seasons too young to be fighting me!"

"We'll see about that."

Mangledpaw squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them, Hawkheart was gazing down on Flameshadow's still body.

Hawkheart looked like he was thinking hard, then bent down and dragged his fangs along Flameshadow's stomach, creating two more deep wounds, and did the same to the deputy's side.

Mangledpaw held back tears of rage. _Leave him alone… He's already dead…_

"Stupid old furball," muttered Hawkheart before biting into his own shoulder, making a small wound. He broke into a run towards camp.

When Mangledpaw was sure he was gone, he crept out of the bushes towards Flameshadow and gasped.

The deputy was lying in a still-spreading puddle of his own blood. Flameshadow's eyes fluttered open.

"Flameshadow! You're alive!" purred Mangledpaw.

"Listen well, Mangledpaw," meowed Flameshadow, his voice hardly above a whisper, "Hawkheart will try to overthrow Silverstar by allying himself to CanyonClan. Please… don't let that happen… He's going to—"

"Going to what?" asked Mangledpaw.

But Flameshadow's breathing had stopped. Mangledpaw snarled.

"Hawkheart… you horrible cat…"

In the distance, he heard Hawkheart's cries of "Badger attack! Badger attack! Flameshadow was killed!"

Mangledpaw dug his claws into the ground. Hawkheart was covering up a murder that he had committed himself.

"Horrible cat," he repeated, before backing away, picking up his piece of fresh-kill, and returning to camp using the North Path, which was another way into camp.

As soon as Mangledpaw entered camp, he put his crow down on the fresh-kill pile and returned to the apprentice den. It was past dawn now, and he was tired. He drifted to sleep immediately.

"_There are three: one who watches them as a star,_

_The others do not know who they truly are._

_The one of scarlet knows nothing of the diamond breeze,_

_The one of blazes fled far from the trees."_

_Mangledpaw raced after the former ForestClan deputy and his mate._

"_Lizardfang! Flowerheart! I don't understand! What are the Three Red Suns? Geez… I feel so naïve…"_

_But the StarClan cats were fading away…_

Mangledpaw was prodded awake. His sisters, Hazelpaw and Mosspaw, were standing over him.

"Come on, Mangledpaw," meowed Hazelpaw, "Silverstar is announcing the new deputy."

Mangledpaw heaved himself onto his paws. It was only sunhigh. He must've only had a few hours of sleep.

He followed his sisters, yawning, along the Spiral Path.

"Clan meetings are such a pain!" complained the white-furred tom.

"Makes you tougher," growled Hazelpaw, "You're in the Medicine Cat den most of the day, so getting out more would be good for a fatty like you."

Mangledpaw cringed. His sister was a scary cat.

Mosspaw came up behind him and whispered in his ear.

"Don't mind Hazelpaw," she reassured him, "She's just a bit sore that she hasn't been made a Warrior yet."

Hazelpaw had been the first born out of her siblings, and was jealous that Hawkheart, the second one born, had been given his Warrior name first.

MountainClan meetings took place on the Halfpeak, the second highest point on the mountain. The territory above Halfpeak belonged to mountain lions and lynxes.

When Mangledpaw arrived, he noticed that most of the Clan was already there.

Silverstar stood on the Halfpeak, looking down at them.

"I speak these words before all of StarClan, and for they to look down upon us and approve of my choice. I hope that my departed brother and deputy, Flameshadow, also be proud of my decision. The new deputy," Silverstar paused, "Will be Hawkheart."

Mangledpaw's eyes widened, and Hazelpaw dug her claws into the ground, growling.

Mosspaw, out of courtesy, was the first one to step forward and congratulate her brother.

To the side, Mangledpaw saw Hawkheart's apprentice, Clawpaw, bragging to his brother and other apprentices how his mentor was Clan deputy.

Most of the senior Warriors hissed at Hawkheart and turned back to camp before Silverstar dismissed them.

As Mangledpaw returned to the apprentice den, he thought back to what Flameshadow had said.

Hawkheart planned to overthrow Silverstar and take his place as leader. Mangledpaw was just a Medicine Cat. There was nothing he could do. Mangledpaw's brother was truly a horrible cat.

_ForestClan Apprentice Den…_

Rainpaw lay awake in her nest. Dogpaw had fallen asleep quite quickly.

She didn't wake Acidpaw when she heard him talk about the Three Red Suns. She would ask him when he woke up. Rainpaw didn't want Dogpaw to get involved in the prophecy in case that the meaning was dangerous. She didn't want Dogpaw's life to end, now that he had finally been accepted into the Clan.

On top of that, Rainpaw had to think of an excuse to leave camp in three sunrises to meet Mangledpaw and figure out the prophecy. Rainpaw wondered if Acidpaw had any luck coming up with answers to the Three Red Suns.

Rainpaw decided that since she couldn't sleep, she should work on the prophecy.

_Maybe there'll be a fire in the Clans' territory… and the moon will shine red… and the sun is reddish… that would make three red suns… but that completely disregards the rest of the prophecy. 'One who watches them as a star…' Maybe that's the Sun itself… But how could the earth and the moon not know who they are? They're not actually alive are they? 'The one of scarlet knows nothing of the diamond breeze…' and 'The one of blazes fled far from the trees…'_

Rainpaw's tail flicked angrily. She flailed her paws, frustrated. She heard a quiet snicker in the corner.

One acid green eye was open. "You look like you're having a seizure."

"Shut up, Acidpaw," hissed Rainpaw quietly. She decided to bring up the prophecy, "It's not like you're having an easy time figuring out the meaning of the Prophecy of the Three Red Suns!"

Acidpaw's eyes widened and he padded over to Rainpaw, grabbed her by the scruff, and dragged her out of the apprentice den.

"You kitnapper!" growled Rainpaw, twisting in his grasp.

Acidpaw brought her into the nearby forest.

"How did you know that I know about that Prophecy?" he snarled.

"Well, seeing as you talk in your sleep…"

"Don't be stupid! I don't talk in my sleep!"

"Yeah? Then how did I know that you knew about that Prophecy?"

Acidpaw hissed furiously.

They were silent for a moment. Then, Rainpaw spoke up.

"So… did you figure anything out?"

Acidpaw glared at her from the corner of his eye.

"What did you figure out?"

"What the—? I asked you first!"

"Just spit it out, stupid furball."

"Fine!" Rainpaw's pelt burned angrily, also in embarrassment. She knew that her idea on the Prophecy was completely wrong, "W-well… I thought maybe that it could be a total end-of-the-world sort of thing… Like maybe the moon would turn red… and there would be fires in the Clan territory… total apocalypse…"

Acidpaw blinked.

What he did next surprised Rainpaw. He started laughing. Really hard. Rainpaw swore that she saw tears in the corners of his eyes.

"You **stupid furball**! Apocalypse? You actually thought it was talking about the **sun**?! Like the **sun** in the **sky**?!"

Rainpaw felt her ears redden. "W-well… What else could it be?"

"You daft furball! It means 'son', as in kin, not 'sun', as in the one in the sky!"

"H-how would you know?!"

"You got the hint about my father as well, right?"

"Saying that Silverdiamond was his mother?"

"Yes."

"Weird… that makes Silverdiamond your grandmother…"

Acidpaw growled. "You're getting off-topic. We were told that Redstar was Silverdiamond's **son**. That should've clicked in your head immediately."

Rainpaw winced. How did she not notice that?

"Meaning that there are Three Red **Sons**, not Three Red **Suns**?"

"That's right," Acidpaw nodded.

"So, smart one, who **are** the Three Red Sons?"

"One of them is obviously Redstar. The others, I hate to admit it, I don't know," Acidpaw paused, "But if you think about it, the two other Red Sons probably don't know either."

"How would you know?"

"It's obvious, no? _The others do not know who they truly are._"

Rainpaw looked away. _Great StarClan, I feel so mousebrained… _"Did Redstar tell you anything else?"

Acidpaw blinked. "Redstar? Redstar came to you?"

"Yeah… Didn't he come to you? Or was it Flowerheart and Lizardfang?"

"Neither of them," meowed Acidpaw, "The cat who told me the Prophecy was a black she-cat with green eyes. She smelled like PrairieClan."

"Well… what's her name?" asked Rainpaw.

"She won't tell me."

Acidpaw was silent.

"In any case, I got back from the Medicine Cat meeting really late, so I'm going back to sleep," Rainpaw turned to leave. She stopped, "Oh, right. Do you think you can sneak out of camp in three moonrises? I need to discuss the Prophecy with Mangledpaw, and maybe you'll be able to figure out more."

"Sneak out?" asked Acidpaw.

The Medicine Cat apprentice nodded.

Acidpaw smirked. "It would be my pleasure."

Rainpaw nodded her thanks before turning back to camp.

The black-furred apprentice watched her leave, then concentrating on remembering that strange dream with the strange she-cat that always came to him, telling him the Prophecy.

_Flashback_

"… _Acidpaw… Acidpaw…"_

_Acidpaw blinked his eyes open. A black she-cat stood over him._

_The ForestClan Apprentice scrambled to his paws._

"_Who are you?" he questioned, "How do you know my name?"_

_The she-cat laughed. "I know many things," she turned serious, "But now's not the time for jokes."_

_Acidpaw snorted. "Who's laughing?"_

_A faint trace of a smile tugged at the she-cat's face. Her green eyes glowed with joy… and sadness. Acidpaw wondered how a cat could look so sad and happy at the same time._

"_I see you've inherited your grandfather's sense of humor," she remarked. She added so quietly that Acidpaw could hardly hear her, "I hope you haven't inherited any of his other traits…"_

_Acidpaw glared at her, making her laugh again._

"_You've got the same blazing fire in your eyes as your father," she meowed, "That, I'm glad to see."_

"_Cut to the chase, StarClan cat," snarled Acidpaw, "Why have you come to me?"_

"_Acidpaw," replied the she-cat, "I've come to tell you of a Prophecy. If not solved… peace might disappear like a rabbit dashing into its burrow."_

"_So tell me, then."_

"_There are three: one who watches them as a star,_

_The others do not know who they truly are._

_The one of scarlet knows nothing of the diamond breeze,_

_The one of blazes fled far from the trees."_

_Acidpaw looked lost in thought._

"_I'll give you a hint, Acidpaw. Redstar is the son of Silverdiamond."_

_The black-furred tom's eyes widened. "What?"_

"_It's the truth," now the black she-cat was behind Acidpaw and whispering in his ear, "But there is a greater truth that needs to be uncovered. Farewell, Acidpaw, and good luck…"_

_The she-cat licked Acidpaw's ear softly._

_Acidpaw blinked in surprise and shook his head wildly. "I don't even know you!"_

"… _Are you sure about that, Acidkit?"_

_Before Acidpaw could reply, the black she-cat had disappeared._

_End Flashback_

That was the first dream he had about the Prophecy, about a moon ago. Acidpaw's eyes narrowed. That she-cat was familiar, but he just couldn't remember… She had called him Acidkit, but was that really worth anything? Any cat could've easily guessed that an apprentice named Acidpaw was once called Acidkit.

The black-furred tom kneaded the ground in frustration. _Next time she comes to repeat the Prophecy, I'll ask her who she really is._

Acidpaw also headed back to camp. The dawn patrol had already left, and no doubt Falconbeak was looking for him.

_Lower MountainClan territory…_

"I trust things are going well, Hawkheart?" asked a cat. The smell of sand clung to his fur.

The cat in front of him nodded. "Yes. Flameshadow is dead and I am MountainClan deputy. Silverstar is as soft as a fresh-killed fawn."

The other cat grinned. "Excellent work, Hawkheart."

"I've accomplished my task, so please tell me what the greater part of the plan is."

"I thought you'd never ask," purred the cat, "When the plan is played out… let's say… Silverstar will be victim to a little… accident."

"Good. I anxiously await that day," meowed Hawkheart, his eyes glinting with malice.

"I must return now," the other cat turned to leave, "I have patrols to organize. And so do you. We'll meet again soon."

Hawkheart bowed his head. "Very well."

_Twolegplace…_

_It was dark. A black she-cat looked around wildly, her icy blue eyes wide._

"_Who are you?" she called, "Why do I keep seeing you in my dreams?"_

_Another black she-cat appeared in front of the first. "Lapis… Do you remember?"_

_The cat called Lapis blinked. "What are you talking about? Why do you keep saying the same thing? Who are you?"_

"_I am long forgotten, Lapis… but you and another must remember…"_

"_Another? Who's 'another'?"_

_But the black she-cat was gone. Lapis continued looking around._

"Lapis!"

Lapis sprang awake.

"What? What is it?"

A black she-cat with pale grey eyes stood in front of her.

"You overslept, Lapis. I had to hunt today, even though it was your turn."

Lapis gasped. "I'm so sorry, Ebony! I-it won't happen again!"

"It's a good thing Sable didn't find out. She would've torn your ears off. You heard about what happened to Jet, right?"

Lapis gulped and nodded. Jet had annoyed Sable and as a result, Jet was now missing an ear.

"Be careful, Lapis. I can't protect you forever."

"I know…" muttered the blue-eyed she-cat.

"Is something troubling you, Lapis?" asked Ebony.

Lapis was looking up at the grey winter clouds.

"I… need to remember something…"

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**A/N**: … I think I just seriously broke some people's brains. Hopefully, no one is **too** confused. I'm not entirely pleased with this chapter, because I made Rainpaw sound stupid, which wasn't my intention. It should be fairly obvious who the cat that Mistypaw was speaking to was, and if it isn't, then yay me, I didn't make things too obvious. I have chapter eight written, it just needs to be edited, and chapter nine is halfway there. It shouldn't take so long for me to upload the next few chapters, and sorry for the wait for chapter seven.


	8. The Devil's Nine Lives

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors

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**Painted Inkblot:** …Yes. Right, you are. Why _would_ Silverstar make such a suspicious cat deputy? (insert evil laugh here). You'll find out. Thanks for reviewing!

**Guess who I am: **Uhhh… I don't know? The series has one more book after this one… well for part one, anyways. Thanks for reviewing!

**Moonstar of FireClan: **Nope, it wasn't Jaggedpaw, and Jaggedpaw isn't dead either. The Three Red Sons… are the sons of Silverdiamond. Yes. And yes, Rainpaw is quickly running out of time. Silentstar's deafness has nothing to do with anything, though. And Hawkheart is evil. Thanks for reviewing!

**some crazy girl who likes pie: **Yay! Evil lessons it is! Thanks for the suggestion for Acidpaw's warrior name, but I already have some stuff planned. Thanks for reviewing!

**Mourning Wolf: **Good. You understand. Excellent. Well, I think you understand, 'cause you said you understood. I am confusing myself. That is not excellent. Thanks for reviewing!

**Oceanpelt: **Wow. Thanks! Thank for your suggestions, but I have the entire story planned out already, but you've given me a massive amount of ideas for something else. Thanks for reviewing! I'm really glad you like the story!

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**A/N**: I get the feeling that not many are going to like the title of this chapter…

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**Chapter Eight**

The Devil's Nine Lives

Three sunrises passed. The sun was setting, and Rainpaw was sitting in the Apprentice den, trying to think of an excuse to leave camp to meet with Mangledpaw at the Moonstone. Acidpaw was doing his chores quickly so that he could sneak out of camp without Falconbeak or Pantherstar calling after him and realizing he wasn't there.

"I could say that I'm going out to look for herbs… but that wouldn't work because it's mid-leafbare…" muttered Rainpaw to herself, "I could also tell Silverdiamond that I'm teaching myself how to hunt and fight properly… but then she'd have a Warrior come with me… mousedung… what am I going to do?"

Suddenly, Oceanpaw burst into the apprentice den, a flustered look on her face. Rainpaw suddenly had a sinking feeling.

"Rainpaw! There you are! Mistypaw wants to speak to you! She says it's really urgent!" she meowed, "Meet her in the Small Woods!"

The Medicine Cat apprentice nodded. "I'll go right away."

Rainpaw dashed into the Small Woods. It took her quite some time to get into the depths of the trees.

_Someone's hurt… _she thought, _Someone's hurt, I can feel it._

"Rainpaw! Come quickly!" called Mistypaw.

Rainpaw skidded to a halt, nearly sliding on some ice.

"What is it?" panted Rainpaw, shouldering her way through some leafless shrubs.

"Please help him…" whimpered the small white she-cat, her gray tail quivering.

Rainpaw gasped. "Jaggedpaw! Is that you?"

_MountainClan camp…_

There was a yowl of frustration. "Mousedung!" spat a young apprentice.

Hawkheart smirked. "Don't feel too bad, Clawpaw. Prey is already deep in the crevices of the cave, so the only option is to take a hunting trip to the mountains to hunt Mountain Goat."

"Can I come?" asked Clawpaw excitedly.

"Of course you can't!" growled Hawkheart, "You're too young! Now, I'm gathering a patrol and alerting Silverstar! I'll see you in a few sunrises."

Clawpaw hissed to himself, but then Hawkheart leaned down to his apprentice's ear and whispered. Clawpaw brightened.

From a distance, Mangledpaw watched with an insane grin on his face. Now Hawkheart wouldn't be around to pester him. Mountain hunting patrols usually took three or four days, so Mangledpaw could enjoy a nice, clean, Hawkheart-free environment. Humming to himself, Mangledpaw passed by the two.

"Hi Hawkheart, I'm going hunting in the forest. The crows are plenty there, kinda scrawny though. See ya!" he meowed cheerfully.

"Mangledpaw, take Clawpaw with you. Please teach him how to hunt birds. I haven't taught him that yet," ordered the deputy.

Mangledpaw's eyes narrowed. _Tch! That foxdung's sticking Clawpaw to me like a tracker! And as soon as Hawkheart gets back, that little brat will tell him everywhere I've been! I'm a mousebrain for even __**talking **__to him before he left!_

"Hawkheart, you know the rules," Mangledpaw tried reasoning, "An apprentice is not allowed to train an apprentice."

"The rules…" muttered Hawkheart, his eyes glinting maliciously, "That's never stopped you before."

Mangledpaw winced.

Hawkheart watched his brother calmly before turning, "If you have nothing more to say, then I'll leave now."

The MountainClan Medicine Cat apprentice grit his teeth. "Yeah. See you later."

The deputy smirked and padded away. Clawpaw looked at Mangledpaw.

"So, are you going to teach me to hunt birds?" he asked.

"I'll give you tips, but training you is a mentor's job," muttered Mangledpaw, "Besides, being a Medicine Cat and all, I'm not a fantastic hunter."

Clawpaw started pouting. "But Hawkheart told you to!" he whined, "And he's deputy!"

"He's also my brother."

"So?"

Mangledpaw sighed. _StarClan, this apprentice is annoying!_

Thankfully, Scarletleaf saved him from any further pestering. Or so Mangledpaw thought.

"Hey, Mangledpaw," called Scarletleaf, "Come help me prepare the traveling herbs for the hunting patrol!"

Mangledpaw smiled inwardly. He gazed down at Clawpaw.

"Sorry, I have to go help my mentor," he meowed, starting to leave.

"Can I help?" asked Clawpaw.

_Urgh,_ thought Mangledpaw, _He's a determined little flea, ain't he? Why am I talking to myself in my head?_

"Hello?" meowed Hawkheart's apprentice, "Did you suddenly become a muted mousebrain?"

"Shut up!" snapped Mangledpaw, "There are cats who are actually mute and it's an insult to them to say things like that!"

Clawpaw shrugged. "It's not like they can talk back."

"Just because they can't talk back doesn't mean they don't hear the awful things that other cats say about them! They're not stupid, you little mousebrain!"

"What did you say to me?!" shrieked Clawpaw.

"I called you a mousebrain!" hissed Mangledpaw, "What's wrong? Did I strike a raw nerve? Oh, silly me, I forgot. They're **all** raw nerves."

With a yowl of anger, Clawpaw leaped at Mangledpaw, claws outstretched.

Mangledpaw dodged, then turned around and slammed his paws onto Clawpaw's back, forcing him to the ground—right as Hawkheart walked into the camp.

"What in the name of StarClan are you doing!?" growled Hawkheart.

Mangledpaw glared up at his brother. "He attacked me!"

"Clawpaw would never do that!"

"H-hawkheart," sniffled Clawpaw, "Make him let go!"

Hawkheart grabbed Mangledpaw by the scruff and sent him sprawling to the ground. Mangledpaw swore that he saw a glint of satisfaction in the deputy's eyes.

"For that, there'll be no leaving camp for three sunrises," the brown-furred tom hissed, "And you'll also do Clawpaw's chores. Scram."

Mangledpaw glared at him and started to return to the Medicine Cat den.

"I don't think so," growled the deputy, "I don't want your filthy paws in my traveling herbs."

Mangledpaw took a deep breath and turned around. "Very well then. I'll go take care of our elders. They're fun to be around, and they tell great stories. And they don't give innocent apprentices cruel punishments."

Hawkheart yowled at him angrily, but Mangledpaw wasn't paying attention. He entered the elders' den.

Splashlily, a white-furred elder, greeted him with a frown. "I heard the commotion. What's going on out there?"

"Clawpaw, that little mousebrain," muttered Mangledpaw, "He attacked me, so I defended myself, and then Hawkheart walked into camp and **I** was blamed even though he started it."

"Something just doesn't seem right," meowed Roughbreeze, an old tabby tom, "Of course, he is the genius who figured out who the Curse-Carrier is, but Topazpelt was perfectly adequate to become deputy. Hawkheart's just an overgrown apprentice."

"Topazpelt is a senior warrior, but Sandbelly is a vicious she-cat, also suitable of becoming deputy," meowed Splashlily.

Wetfeather, the third elder, growled, "Lest you forget, Sandbelly's kits just became apprentices. Obviously, she'll give privileges to them."

"You're just an old grump," snapped Splashlily.

"Well so are you!"

Roughbreeze sighed and shook his head. "Sandbelly is loyal to the Warrior code, as is Topazpelt. In my opinion, Blackspot would be most suitable. He's mentoring Hazelpaw at the moment—"

"We know that," snarled Wetfeather.

Roughbreeze was unfazed. He gave a little cough. "As I was saying, Blackspot also mentored Littlebreeze, and look at the strong Warrior that young one has become."

The other two elders nodded in agreement.

Mangledpaw sighed. "Great, and I need to get out of camp at moonrise…"

The tabby elder looked up. "Do you? I don't see what the problem is."

"Hawkheart told me that I couldn't leave camp for three sunrises," meowed Mangledpaw.

Roughbreeze grinned. "Three sunrises? Don't those kind of punishments usually start at sunhigh?"

Mangledpaw nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, sunhigh has already passed. If it's three sunrises, then your punishment technically hasn't started yet."

The white-furred apprentice blinked. "That's true… but I highly doubt Hawkheart will approve of that."

"He's on a hunting expedition right about now. He won't know," Roughbreeze winked, "Don't worry. He won't find out, and if anyone asks, we'll cover for you."

Splashlily nodded. "I don't see the problem in lending a young one a paw once in a while."

Wetfeather snorted, but it was clear that he wasn't going to object.

"Thank you so much!" meowed Mangledpaw cheerfully, "I'd better get going now!"

Mangledpaw scampered out of the elders' den.

_Small Woods…_

A huge tabby tom with a crooked tail was leaning against Mistypaw. It was unmistakably Jaggedpaw. Deep scratches covered his neck and chest. It was obvious that he had been in a dangerous fight. Rainpaw sprang into action.

"Mistypaw, clean his wounds," ordered Rainpaw, "They don't look life-threatening, so we know he's going to be fine. I'll run back to the Medicine Cat den and fetch some cobwebs. Nothing looks infected, since the injuries are fresh."

"Thanks, Rainpaw," meowed Mistypaw.

The Medicine Cat apprentice tore off towards camp.

Mistypaw crouched closer to her brother. "Jaggedpaw, can you hear me?"

"Y-yeah… Mistypaw, listen, I found something out—"

"Save your energy, my brother," replied Mistypaw, starting to clean his scratches.

Jaggedpaw tried to stagger to his paws, but fell. "Th-that's just the problem, Mistypaw… I… You're not my sister!"

Mistypaw froze, her eyes wide. "I know…" she meowed, "My real mother, Lavaflame, told me. I was kitnapped by Roaringbreeze during a badger attack. Now rest."

The smaller cat continued cleaning Jaggedpaw's wounds.

"Mistypaw… there's something else," muttered Jaggedpaw, "First of all… my name isn't Jaggedpaw anymore. It's Jaggedtail."

"When were you given a Warrior's ceremony?" asked Mistypaw.

Jaggedtail squeezed his eyes shut, tears pooling in the corners. "S-Silentstar made me a Warrior… Those were the last words she spoke before she… before she…"

Mistypaw felt her blood freeze. _No… that can't be…_ "Before she what?"

"B-before she was killed…"

Jaggedtail fell silent. Mistypaw, trembling in shock, continued taking care of his injuries.

Soon after, Rainpaw returned.

"How's Jaggedpaw?" she asked.

Mistypaw decided not to correct her on Jaggedtail's name. She would find out what happened to Silentstar at the next Gathering. "He's sleeping."

"That's good," she meowed, "Rest always helps."

Rainpaw carefully applied cobwebs onto Jaggedtail's scratches. "He should be okay now, but come and find me if there's anything wrong. I've got to go, so I'll see you later."

Rainpaw turned and pushed her way through the foliage. She started at a steady pace towards the Medicine Cat meeting place. Looking up at the enormous tree, she hoped that Mangledpaw was already there. For the time being, she sat down at the foot of the tree. She was waiting for Acidpaw to join her.

_I hope he was able to get out of camp… _thought Rainpaw to herself, _I don't really like him breaking the rules of his punishment… but this is important…_

A bush on Rainpaw's right rustled. She tensed, hoping that it wasn't Silverdiamond or anyone who might come looking for her.

But when a cat stepped into the open, Rainpaw let out a sigh of relief. "Oh! Acidpaw, it's just you!"

Acidpaw snorted. "No, really?" he meowed sarcastically, "Let's get going. Is Mangledpaw here yet?"

Rainpaw shrugged. "I don't know."

The black-furred tom rolled his eyes. "Figures…"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Acidpaw was already scaling the tree. Rainpaw leaped up after him.

"Hey! What's Acidpaw doing here?" meowed Mangledpaw's voice in surprise.

Acidpaw pulled Rainpaw into the hollow of the big tree, too impatient to let her finish climbing. Once Rainpaw had joined Acidpaw and Mangledpaw in the tree, she turned to the MountainClan tom.

"Acidpaw's also received the Prophecy," she explained, "And he's figured out a lot."

The black-furred tom nodded. "If you're also a mousebrain like Rainpaw, then the Three Red Sons are cats—not apocalypses or whatever you thought it was. Redstar is one of them."

Mangledpaw blinked, a blank expression on his face. "Oh. Yeah. That actually makes sense. But who are the others?"

Rainpaw was lost in thought. She suddenly lifted her head. "Redstar was Silverdiamond's son, we know that… so that means… the other two are probably Redstar's brothers, meaning Silverdiamond's two other sons."

Acidpaw shook his head. "I don't think Redstar had any siblings."

"But what else could it be?" Rainpaw protested, "They also must all have ginger, meaning red, fur."

Acidpaw blinked, looking surprised. "Rainpaw…" he whispered.

The ForestClan Medicine Cat Apprentice's ears went slightly pink. _Wh-why is he looking at me like that?_

The black-furred tom smirked. "… Did you grow a brain while I wasn't watching?"

Now Rainpaw's ears were red with anger. "What did you say?!"

Mangledpaw laughed. "You two fight like a couple of elders!"

The two ForestClan cats chose to ignore him. After a moment of silence, Acidpaw spoke up.

"Well… Now what?" he meowed.

There was more silence.

"We should look at every cat with ginger fur," meowed Mangledpaw slowly, "From there, we'll be able to see who looks and acts like Redstar, and we'll figure out this Prophecy, and who exactly the Three Red Sons are."

Rainpaw shook her head. "But there have got to be dozens of ginger cats out there, we can't possible analyze every single one."

"Ask StarClan," suggested Acidpaw, "We're at the Moonstone anyways. Might as well."

"Hadn't thought of that…" muttered Rainpaw.

Acidpaw rolled his eyes. "And you call yourself Medicine Cat…"

Rainpaw didn't reply. She crouched in front of the tiny Moonstone. Mangledpaw did the same.

The MountainClan apprentice looked at Acidpaw. "Aren't you coming?"

"I'm not a Medicine Cat," replied the black-furred tom.

Mangledpaw shrugged. "So?"

Acidpaw frowned. "Isn't it against the Warrior code for a cat who isn't leader or Medicine Cat to use the Moonstone?"

The two Medicine Cat Apprentices exchanged a glance.

"Well for one thing," started Rainpaw, "You don't really care about the rules anyways… and second, we don't know if it's against the Warrior code or not, so we can't get in trouble for something we didn't know."

The black-furred tom smirked. "Good point."

He crouched in front of the Moonstone and gazed at Mangledpaw, unsure of what to do.

"Just rest your nose against it," meowed the MountainClan apprentice, "Sleep will come to you naturally… well… that's what happens for Medicine Cats anyways."

Acidpaw felt the cool surface of the Moonstone against the tip of his muzzle. He closed his eyes, waiting for sleep to come. He wasn't sure that it would, seeing as he wasn't a Medicine Cat or leader, but to his surprise, a cold wave ran through his body. His paws became limp and heavy and his senses dulled. His tail tingled with an eerie freezing feeling.

Acidpaw sprang to his paws, his heart racing. It had felt like his life energy was ebbing away. He looked around at the other two cats. They were both asleep.

Swallowing to push down his nervousness, Acidpaw crouched down in front of the Moonstone again and put his nose against it. The same coldness came over him, but this time Acidpaw suppressed the urge to leap to his paws. Soon all of his thoughts vanished. He was asleep.

_Small Woods…_

Mistypaw was munching on a shrew she caught. She wasn't very hungry though. She was thinking about what Jaggedtail had told her.

_I can't believe that Silentstar is dead… She was leader before I was born… StarClan, she was leader before Silverdiamond became Medicine Cat._

Mistypaw suddenly stood up, her fur bristling. If the leader of CanyonClan was dead, then the deputy was the one to take over…

"StarClan no…" she whispered.

_Medicine Cat Oak…_

_Acidpaw blinked open his eyes. He was sitting in a large field. The grass, a deep emerald green, shimmered from the light of the sun. There was a pond of glittering crystal clear water with small fish swimming in it. The scent of plump and healthy prey was in the air._

_He heard a yowl of surprise. Acidpaw spun around. A black she-cat stood behind him. It was the she-cat from his dream of the Prophecy. Her acid green eyes were shocked._

"_Acidpaw!" she meowed, "How did you get here?"_

"_Well… I kinda had my nose against a rock—"_

"_I know that!" she hissed, "Normal apprentices aren't supposed to use the Moonstone!"_

_Acidpaw smirked. "Yeah, but I didn't know that."_

_The black she-cat sighed. "It's not that I'm surprised about… I'm sorry for snapping at you. It's just that… normally, a Warrior's apprentice isn't even __**able**__ to use the Moonstone."_

_Acidpaw's eyes widened. "Then why am I…"_

_The ForestClan apprentice trailed off, not sure of what to say._

_The other cat looked lost in thought. "In any case, you shouldn't be here, Acidpaw. There's—"_

_Acidpaw suddenly cut her off. "Wait, I've been meaning to ask you. Who are you? How did you already seem to know me when I first met you? You're PrairieClan, it's impossible!"_

_The black she-cat smiled weakly. "I… I cannot tell you. But I'll say one thing. You share part of your name with me. Now get out of here. Quickly, there isn't much time."_

_Acidpaw growled furiously. "That's not an answer! I want the truth!"_

_The black she-cat took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Acidpaw."_

_She picked up the apprentice up by the scruff and threw him into the pond…_

"Acidpaw!"

Acidpaw sprung to his paws. Mangledpaw stood in front of him, his eyes wide with fear.

"What is it?" snapped Acidpaw.

"We… we have to get out of here! Fast!"

"Why?" asked the black-furred tom, "What's the rush?"

"Someone's coming!" hissed Mangledpaw, "When I fell asleep, I came face-to-face with Lizardfang and Flowerheart, and they told me to get out of here!"

Acidpaw nodded, rolling his eyes in exasperation. "Alright, you big chicken, let's go. Just wake up Rainpaw—"

"That's the problem!" Mangledpaw panicked, "I tried waking her before you, but she wouldn't open her eyes! I don't know what we're going to do!" _What is StarClan's name is a chicken?!_

Acidpaw rolled his eyes. "Let's just get out of this tree and you'll see, there's no one outside to bother us, then we'll come back, get Rainpaw, and call it a day."

Mangledpaw gulped nervously. "O-okay…"

Acidpaw exited the hollow and climbed down to the forest floor. Mangledpaw was right behind him.

"Are you sure that this is okay?" asked the white-furred tom.

"Yeah…"

"Wait!" meowed Mangledpaw, "I smell something!"

He lifted his head, sniffing the air.

Mangledpaw gasped.

"CanyonClan! I smell a CanyonClan cat!"

Acidpaw bristled and unsheathed his claws. "They'd better not be trespassing on ForestClan territory!"

"Not the time!" hissed Mangledpaw, "Hide!"

Mangledpaw pulled Acidpaw into a nearby evergreen bush.

The two apprentices peered out cautiously.

"Can you see who it is?" asked Acidpaw.

Mangledpaw squinted. He suddenly staggered back.

"Oh no…" he whispered, "It's Roaringbreeze."

Acidpaw grit his teeth. Blueclaw, one of Roaringbreeze's Warriors, had once tried to kill Rainpaw. Roaringbreeze must've come to finish what Blueclaw had started!

"Rainpaw!" Acidpaw started to step out of the hiding spot, but Mangledpaw pulled him back.

"Are you insane? Do you want to get killed?!"

"The one who's going to get killed is Rainpaw if no one goes up there and saves her!" he protested.

Mangledpaw gulped. He shut his eyes and kneaded the ground with his paws. "She'll be okay… she'll be okay… she'll be okay…"

Acidpaw growled to himself. How could he let this happen? He sat down and looked up at the oak tree. _If there's even a scratch on Rainpaw… I'll kill Roaringbreeze with my own claws…_

_Medicine Cat Oak…_

_Rainpaw opened her eyes. She looked around wildly._

"_That's weird…" she muttered to herself, "Normally I'm on the Gathering Island…"_

"_Rainpaw? Young Rainpaw?" meowed a familiar voice._

_The ForestClan Medicine Cat apprentice turned around. She gasped. She recognized that cat!_

_He was a honey-colored tom with a short tail that was quivering in annoyance._

"_Oakstump!" she meowed joyfully._

_Oakstump just grunted in response._

"_What's going on? Where's Redstar? Where am I?"_

"_Slow down, slow down!" ordered Oakstump, "First of all, why are you here?"_

_Rainpaw blinked. "I… uh… needed to speak to Redstar…"_

"_I can't blame you for that, I guess…" replied the former CanyonClan Medicine Cat, "But Rainpaw, you shouldn't be here."_

"_Why not?"_

_Oakstump opened his mouth to answer, but he stopped and motioned for Rainpaw to follow him to a small pond._

"_Look," he meowed._

_Rainpaw gazed into the pond. She saw herself from a bird's eye view, sleeping with her nose against the Moonstone._

_Acidpaw was asleep as well, but not Mangledpaw. He was prodding her with his paws. "Rainpaw! Wake up! We have to get out of here!"_

_Rainpaw tore her gaze away from the pond. "What's going on?" she asked Oakstump._

"_Keep watching."_

_The ForestClan apprentice gazed back into the water. Now, Acidpaw was awake and he and Mangledpaw were leaving the tree._

"_Where are they going?" she meowed in a panic._

"_Keep watching," repeated Oakstump, "But touch your nose to the water."_

_Rainpaw did as he said. The vision in the water changed. Now another cat had entered the hollow._

_Rainpaw gasped. "Roaringbreeze!"_

_She saw the CanyonClan deputy glaring at her sleeping form with hatred. _**I'll finish her later. I can't afford to risk anything now.**

_Rainpaw blinked. She could hear his thoughts!_

_She pulled her nose out of the water and looked back at Oakstump. "I have to get out of here! Roaringbreeze'll kill me if I don't!"_

"_Rainpaw, you need to see this," replied Oakstump, "I know you're afraid but you're just going to have to suck it up."_

_The ForestClan Medicine Cat Apprentice was frantic. "Are you crazy? He's going to kill me!"_

_Oakstump didn't reply. He turned away from her and walked towards a small patch of trees._

_Rainpaw blinked. "Where are you going?"_

"_Follow me, Rainpaw. There's something you must see."_

_Swallowing nervously, the white she-cat ran to catch up to the old CanyonClan Medicine Cat._

_Oakstump shouldered his way through the bushes of the patch of trees, which opened up into a clearing._

"_Stay in these bushes," he ordered her, "And whatever you do, don't leave here or say a single word."_

_Rainpaw nodded numbly, her heart pounding loudly._

_Oakstump gazed at her for a bit longer before stepping into the clearing. Rainpaw saw that other cats were gathered there. She immediately recognized Redstar and Lionclaw. Most of the other cats there smelled of rocks and sand mingled with the scent of StarClan's fields._

"_He's coming," meowed a black she-cat from beside Lionclaw. It was Shadelion._

_The group of gathered cats went silent._

_A gigantic smoke-grey tom with piercing ice blue eyes stepped forward from the group of StarClan cats._

"_Greetings," he meowed, "Welcome to your Leader's Ceremony, my son."_

Leader's Ceremony? _thought Rainpaw, _Did someone die? Silverstar? Or Blazingstar?

_To Rainpaw's horror, a completely different cat stepped out of the trees. Rainpaw felt as if her stomach had dropped to her paws. It was Roaringbreeze._

_Roaringbreeze purred. "Hello father."_

_Another cat from the crowd of StarClan cats stepped towards Roaringbreeze. It was a ginger she-cat covered with battle-scars. "And what of me?" she asked._

_Roaringbreeze laughed, which was quite creepy. "I could never forget you, mother."_

_Rainpaw felt like her heart had stilled. The grey cat had said: 'Welcome to your Leader's ceremony.'_

_Nothing was making any sense! It was impossible that Silentstar was dead! She supposedly had six lives left!_

_The ginger she-cat sighed. "Such a pity about Silentstar… Accidents like that happening… It's awful!"_

_Roaringstar sighed, his ears drooping. "I tried so hard to save her…"_

"_It wasn't your fault, my dear," purred the ginger cat soothingly, "We best start the ceremony!"_

_The StarClan cats backed away, all except for the big grey tom._

"_It is in sadness that the lead of CanyonClan is passed to you," he meowed, "We will miss Silentstar's leadership greatly."_

_A glint in the grey tom's ice blue eyes made Rainpaw doubt his statement._

"_I, Icegaze of StarClan, will begin your ceremony," he touched his nose to Roaringbreeze's, "With this life I give you pride, the driving force that will push you to your limits for your Clan."_

_Roaringbreeze grit his teeth, then stood up straighter. Icegaze grinned at his son before the ginger she-cat took his place._

"_I, Flamingstep of StarClan, will continue. With this life I give you wrath, the burning energy to eliminate those who threaten your Warriors and Clan."_

_Roaringbreeze doubled over in pain, then stood shakily. "Thank you, mother, " he hissed out, smiling._

_A familiar cat with blueberry-stained claws stepped forward._

"_With this life I give you strength," meowed Blueclaw, "Use it well to fight until your last breath."_

_Rainpaw watched as four more lives were given to the giant ginger tom._

_The ninth cat stepped forward._

_Rainpaw stifled a gasp. It was Redstar. He pressed his nose to Roaringbreeze's and pulled away when the life was given._

_Roaringbreeze also had an expression of shock on his face._

"_I gave you protectiveness," he told Roaringbreeze after, "Use it well to protect what you didn't before. I know that yours and Goldenstream's kits will be born soon."_

""_Protect what I didn't before"?" Roaringbreeze smirked, "Whatever do you mean?"_

_Redstar laughed grimly. "You know perfectly well, father."_

_Rainpaw's eyes widened. _N-no way…

"_You mean go against the Warrior code to keep yourself and your brothers?" replied the new CanyonClan leader, "It's a pity I had to scatter them. Lest you forget, your mother couldn't keep the three of you either. Splitting you three up was the best option."_

_Redstar growled. "I hope your new kits don't have to suffer like me, Blazingstar, and Scarletleaf."_

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**A/N:** Hehe… Don't hurt me please. I'm sorry for being so inactive lately. I was away for a month again with no computer access, just like last year.


	9. A Determination That Burns Like Acid

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors

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**Cinnamonpool:** AHH!! Not the TORCH! Mwaha. Yes. That chapter revealed a lot. Thanks for reviewing!

**some crazy girl who likes pie: **Roaringbreeze (won't be calling him that for much longer) IS Redstar's father! YES! (Hahaha) Thanks for reviewing!

**Solarstar:** Yeah, I was almost certain that most people knew that Blazingstar and Redstar were two of the three red sons, but I'm glad that not many found Scarletleaf's relation to them obvious. Roaringbreeze is such a bad kitty! We'll have to take away his Meow Mix! (Roaringbreeze: …What's Meow Mix?) Anyways, thanks for reviewing!

**Tanglepelt of ShadowClan: **Yay! You've caught up :) I love Blindnose and Goosefang too. It's kind of weird for me to write Blindnose, since his personality as an elder clashes hugely with his personality as a Warrior. Blindnose was a really serious Warrior, no jokes, no nothing, but then as an elder he's all senile and funny… I love that cat (hugs Blindnose) Yeah… I'm not too happy with the time that it took for Rainpaw to figure everything out… it makes her looks stupid, and that's not my intention. And mwahaha… you're detecting the shall-I-remind-everyone _forbidden_ AcidxRain and MangledxMisty?! Eheheh… Thanks for the review!

**Violets in Shadow: **C-captivated…? -big huge happy tears- Really? Thanks! That's got to be one of the nicest comments I've ever had. Well, one of the many nice ones. But I don't think I've ever heard anyone say 'captivated' in their review (unless I have memory loss, which is highly likely). Thanks for reviewing!

**Moonstar of FireClan:** Mwaha. I just adore confusing readers. :3 And the Three Red Sons are Roaringbreeze's kits. You know, Mangledpaw has got to be one of the most fun characters to write. His thoughts are just completely unrelated to what he's saying… hmm… maybe he has a short attention span. For some reason, as the story goes on, Acidpaw seems to be getting cooler and cooler. (Acidpaw: Damn right.) So thanks again for the super huge review!

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**A/N: **This is a bit random but does anyone play Persona 3 or SubaSeka/The World Ends With You? I love those games, they're awesome.

Anyways, getting back on track, sorry for the late update and stuff.

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**Chapter Nine**

Determination that Burns Like Acid

_Redstar growled. "I hope your new kits don't have to suffer like me, Blazingstar, and Scarletleaf."_

_Rainpaw felt her heart stop beating for a second._

_Roaringbreeze smirked. "I'm sure they won't."_

_Redstar nodded at him and turned around, making his way through the crowd of cats. Lionclaw and Shadelion followed him._

_Icegaze seemed to smile. "Well then… Now we grant you your new name, Roaringstar of CanyonClan!"_

"_Roaringstar! Roaringstar! Roaringstar!"_

_The StarClan cats cheered for the ginger tom._

"_Rainpaw!"_

_The Medicine Cat Apprentice jumped. A black she-cat with green eyes was next to her._

"_Oakstump told me about your situation. Come, follow me!"_

_Rainpaw didn't budge. She was gazing at the black she-cat's familiar acid green eyes._

"_Come, Rainpaw! We __**must**__ leave immediately! If Roaringstar wakes up before you do, he will __**kill**__ you!" she whispered urgently._

"_Who… I recognize you… from my dream…" muttered Rainpaw, "You told me that I alone could heal a heart… but who are you?"_

"_There isn't __**time**__!" hissed the black she-cat. She grabbed Rainpaw by the scruff and dragged her out of the shrub she was hiding in._

_The black she-cat ran through a wide clearing towards a pond._

"_Jump in there, Rainpaw," she meowed, "Jump in and you'll wake up. And as soon as you do, run. Run for your life. Go! We'll meet again!"_

_Rainpaw nodded. "Please at least tell me your name."_

"_There's another cat in your Clan who can answer that," replied the black she-cat, "Now go!"_

_Rainpaw shut her eyes and held her breath. She leaped forward and felt the cold water all around her…_

Rainpaw's eyes snapped open. She held back a gasp. Roaringstar was not even two mouselengths away from her.

She scrambled to her paws and clambered down the tree. A black-furred form burst out of an evergreen bush and grabbed her scruff.

"Rainpaw!" came Mangledpaw's voice, "You're okay!"

Acidpaw let go of her. "What in StarClan's name were you doing? What took you so long? We thought you were going to die up there!"

Rainpaw, still shaking in fear, lifted her head to face them.

"I've solved it."

"Huh?" asked Mangledpaw.

"The Prophecy of the Three Red Sons… I know who they are."

"Well spit it out, then!" hissed Acidpaw, "Who are they?"

"They… they're Redstar's brothers…" started Rainpaw, "Blazingstar and—"

Rainpaw stopped. The other one was Scarletleaf, who was Mangledpaw's older brother. If Scarletleaf was the son of Silverdiamond and Roaringstar, that meant…

"Who's the third one?" asked Mangledpaw.

"Mangledpaw…" whispered Rainpaw, "There's… there's something that you need to know."

"What is it?"

The ForestClan Medicine Cat apprentice took a deep breath. "Scarletleaf is not your brother."

_ForestClan nursery…_

Lionkit woke up screeching in fight. His trembling wouldn't stop, and tears streamed down his cheeks. His dream had been horrible this time. He was being controlled again. The one who had taken over his mind had been laughing, running through ForestClan territory and slaughtering every cat he came across. Indigokit, Feathersoul, Redkit, Acidpaw, Rainpaw, Silverdiamond… he had watched himself kill them all.

Lionkit had seen his paws at one point—they were soaked in blood that was not his.

Now Lionkit looked at his trembling paws and started licking them fiercely, as if washing off blood.

His eyes were wide in fear. Feathersoul was licking his head soothingly.

"Shh… Lionkit, it was just a dream… shh…" she whispered.

Lionkit buried his nose in Feathersoul's fur, his tiny paws twitching. Redkit looked on in concern. Lionkit was known to be the most peaceful sleeper… it just wasn't right.

Lightningkit blinked his eyes open. "What's going on?" he asked groggily.

"Lionkit's had a nightmare," replied Soulkit, also awake.

Hollythorn stepped into the nook where Feathersoul was staying.

"Great StarClan!" she meowed, "That scream was loud enough to wake the dead! Stormkit's scared out of her wits. Really now, what happened?"

"Lionkit's had a nightmare," repeated Soulkit.

Lionkit's head was bowed. "I'm real sorry, Hollythorn," he mumbled.

Hollythorn came forward and licked Lionkit on the ear. "It's alright. I remember that horrible dream that Indigokit once had. Don't worry, it'll be okay now."

The other queen returned to her nest.

Feathersoul licked Lionkit's head again. "You just curl up and get some rest. You don't have to sleep if you don't want to, but just try to relax."

Lionkit nodded, sniffling, and did as he was told. Feathersoul curled up next to him and lay her head on her paws. Lightningkit and Soulkit were already sleeping again.

Redkit sat next to Lionkit.

"What happened this time?" she asked him.

Lionkit shook his head. "It's nothing, Redkit. You sh-should get some sleep. I'm sorry I woke you."

Redkit rolled her eyes. "I don't need to rest. I can do that during the day. I have punishment for leaving camp and speaking against Pantherstar, remember? I can't leave the nursery for another two moons. Let's sneak out."

"I'm not up to it," muttered Lionkit, his nose resting on his front paws.

Redkit growled to herself.

"I know! Let's go bite Indigokit's tail!"

"You do that," replied her brother, "I'll just stay here."

"You're no fun at all!" whined Redkit.

Lionkit didn't answer. He was thinking about his nightmare.

_What if it's an omen from StarClan? _he wondered_, No, that's impossible… Why would they give an omen to a kit?_

Lionkit lifted his head to ask for Redkit's opinion on it, but he noticed that she was gone.

"Redkit?" he called tentatively.

He looked around Feathersoul's nest, but Redkit was nowhere to be found.

Suddenly, Redkit came back in, an extremely downcast look on her face.

"What's wrong?" Lionkit asked nervously.

"Something awful is going to happen tomorrow…" meowed Redkit. She looked up at her brother, "Indigokit and Stormkit are going to have their apprentice ceremonies at dawn."

Lionkit let out a sigh of relief. "That's all?"

Redkit's eyes widened and she gaped at her brother. "**That's all**? Is that all you have to say?"

The cream-colored kit shrugged. "It could've been worse."

"What could be worse than Indigokit becoming an apprentice?!" she meowed in exasperation, "He's going to boss us around more than he already does!"

Lionkit let his sister continue ranting. He couldn't help but wonder if Indigokit's apprentice ceremony was the only bad thing that was going to happen in the near future.

_Near the Medicine Cat Oak…_

Mangledpaw blinked at what Rainpaw just said. "Excuse me?"

"He… Scarletleaf isn't your brother!" she repeated, "He's one of the Three Red Sons!"

"What?!" Mangledpaw screeched.

"He's the brother of Blazingstar and Redstar! They're the sons of Roaringstar and Silverdiamond!" Rainpaw blurted out, "That's why Silverdiamond always gets so uptight whenever Roaringstar is around!"

"Wait, wait a second!" interrupted Acidpaw, "Roaring**star**?! Rainpaw, come here. Are you sick, or are you just completely insane?"

"I'm not crazy!" hissed Rainpaw, "I saw Roaringstar's leader ceremony with my own eyes! Redstar came up and gave him one of his nine lives! Then he said himself that Roaringstar was his father, as well as Blazingstar's and Scarletleaf's!"

Mangledpaw sat down hard. "But… Scarletleaf… He never told me…"

"I don't think he knows," meowed Rainpaw, "You can't tell him. It might put him in danger."

Mangledpaw nodded numbly.

Rainpaw glanced at Acidpaw. "You can't breathe a word about this to anyone."

"Why would I?" he replied.

Rainpaw took a deep breath. "It's late. I'm tired. Let's just call it a day."

Just as Rainpaw was about to step out of the cover of the evergreen bushes, Acidpaw grabbed her scruff and pulled her back.

"Roaringbre—Roaringstar hasn't come back yet. Let's wait until he's gone, then we'll go back to camp," he meowed.

Rainpaw nodded. After many moments of silence, Roaringstar appeared at the mouth of the hollow. He climbed down the tree and landed nimbly on his paws.

He paused, sniffing the air.

The three hiding apprentices froze. Would he notice them?

Eventually, Roaringstar snarled.

"I'll get her another time," he muttered to himself before continuing to walk back to the desert.

Mangledpaw and Acidpaw looked to Rainpaw.

"He was… he was talking about you, wasn't he?" asked Acidpaw.

Rainpaw nodded. "I think so."

"Rainpaw… you can't go anywhere **near** him."

"I know, Acidpaw."

Acidpaw dug his claws into the ground.

Mangledpaw rose to his feet. "I'd better go."

"Alright," replied Rainpaw, "I'll see you at the Gathering."

The MountainClan apprentice left.

Rainpaw turned to Acidpaw. "We'd better go back to camp. It'll be dawn soon."

By the time the two ForestClan apprentices returned to camp, it was only a few hours before dawn. Acidpaw and Rainpaw entered the apprentice den.

"It's really getting crowded," observed Rainpaw.

She looked over the occupants of the apprentice den. Spotpaw and Stripepaw were curled up back to back, Lynxpaw and Breezepaw were sleeping side by side, Oceanpaw was curled up in the corner, and Wolfpaw asleep in her nest near the entrance. Dogpaw was snoring loudly in his nest on the far wall. Rainpaw padded over to her nest and lay down. She spotted Acidpaw sitting right in the mouth of the entrance, gazing up at the sky.

"Aren't you going back to your nest?" she asked him quietly.

"No. It's too stuffy in the apprentice den."

Rainpaw frowned. "But it's mid leaf-bare!"

Acidpaw shrugged. "I don't mind the cold."

Their conversation ended there. Acidpaw had fallen asleep and the rhythm of his evened-out breathing eventually lulled Rainpaw to sleep as well.

_MountainClan camp…_

Mangledpaw entered the Medicine Cat den. He saw Scarletleaf sleeping peacefully.

The apprentice's eyes narrowed. Did Scarletleaf know the truth?

He thought about the punishment he had received from Hawkheart. Now he couldn't leave camp, starting at sunhigh. He didn't have much free time left.

He turned to leave the Medicine Cat Den, looking at Scarletleaf over his shoulder.

Now that Mangledpaw thought about it, the two of them were nothing alike. Scarletleaf had bright ginger fur, while he had pure white. Mangledpaw's eyes were a deep emerald green and the Medicine Cat's were an icy blue. They didn't even look like distant cousins.

He sighed quietly and left the den.

_ForestClan camp…_

Rainpaw was awakened by Pantherstar calling a meeting.

"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey assemble at the Treestump for an important Clan meeting!"

Rainpaw yawned and rose to her paws, stretching. She padded to the center of camp and sat down. Indigokit and Stormkit were sitting in front of the Treestump. Acidpaw was at the back of the crowd.

"The time has come for these two kits to be apprenticed," started Pantherstar, flicking her tail at the two kits, "From this moment on, until they have earned their Warrior names, these cats will be known as Indigopaw and Stormpaw."

The two new apprentices squirmed in excitement.

Pantherstar turned to Foxclaw, "I know it will be difficult, but I have faith that you will be able to mentor both Indigopaw and Stormpaw. Please pass down your knowledge and strength to these young apprentices."

"I won't fail you, Pantherstar," meowed Foxclaw.

The ginger she cat stepped towards them, touching noses with Indigopaw first, then Stormpaw.

"Indigopaw! Stormpaw! Indigopaw! Stormpaw!" chanted the Clan.

The two new apprentices went to sit next to their mentor.

"Before this meeting ends, I have one more announcement to make," continued Pantherstar, "We all know that Quietpaw of MountainClan has been in our camp for the past sunrises. She was driven out of her Clan and falsely accused of being a curse. She will remain an apprentice in ForestClan unless she is accepted back by MountainClan. Quietpaw, if you'll come forward, please."

Quietpaw made her way through the crowd of cats and sat in front of the Treestump.

"Hollythorn will mentor Quietpaw," meowed Pantherstar, "I expect you to teach Quietpaw all that you know."

"I'll do my best," replied Hollythorn. She came towards her new apprentice and touched noses with her.

"This meeting is over," finished Pantherstar, "Please resume your duties."

The crowd of cats dispersed and only Acidpaw and Indigopaw remained. The little tabby tom brushed past Acidpaw, a disappointed look on his face.

"I wish **you** were my mentor, Acidpaw…" he muttered before running to catch up to Foxclaw.

Just as Acidpaw was about to enter the elders' den, Pantherstar came up behind him.

"Acidpaw, I need to speak to you," she told him.

The black-furred tom turned around. "Yes, Pantherstar?"

"Since almost every cat is busy training an apprentice, and there aren't many available cats for hunting and patrols, I'm lifting your punishment early," she replied, "You will resume your training at dawn tomorrow."

Without saying another word, Pantherstar returned to her den.

Acidpaw smirked. Finally, he had some freedom.

Later that day, as Acidpaw passed the apprentice den, he caught sight of Indigopaw. He padded up to him.

"Where's Foxclaw?" he asked the tabby.

"She's sharing tongues with Tigerpelt," answered Indigopaw, "She's dismissed us for today."

"Where's Stormpaw?"

"Oceanpaw's helping her build her nest."

"I see."

There was a moment of silence.

Acidpaw suddenly pulled Indigopaw behind the apprentice den.

"I'll train you, if you want," whispered the black-furred tom, "I'll teach you in secret. At moonrise. Is that okay?"

Indigopaw's eyes lit up. "Are you serious? Do you really mean it?"

Acidpaw nodded.

The new apprentice grinned. "Thanks Acidpaw! I think I'm going to go bother Redkit now, so I'll see you later!"

"It's nothing," replied Acidpaw, "And don't get Redkit too riled up. She might bite your head off!"

Indigopaw laughed and continued towards the nursery.

_Nursery…_

Redkit was in a **very** bad mood. She wasn't allowed out of the nursery. Saying that she was bored was an understatement.

She groaned as she saw a familiar tabby pelt sauntering towards her. Indigopaw's deep blue eyes were glinting with mischief.

"What do you want, Indigopaw?" she sneered.

"I just wanted to make sure that the little kit isn't on the loose again," he replied, "Wouldn't want an entire patrol after her!"

"Why don't you stuff a mouse in it?!" she snapped.

"Hmm… No."

Redkit growled in frustration. "Just go away, then! Don't you have grumpy elders to attend to?!"

"No. But I have some training to do. I can't wait to learn how to hunt and fight!"

The ginger she-cat hissed and turned to go deeper into the nursery. She curled up near the corner and buried her nose in her bushy tail.

_I can't believe he's an apprentice! I still have to wait another three moons! _Redkit thought angrily, _And I bet Pantherstar's so afraid that we're going to get ourselves killed that she's going to make Lionkit and I wait longer until we're apprenticed!_

Redkit noticed that her brother was staring at her.

"What?" she growled.

Lionkit shook his head slowly before laying his head down on his paws. He didn't want to trigger her explosive anger. "Nothing, Redkit. Nothing."

The little ginger she-cat rose to her paws and lay in the entrance of the nursery. She watched Lightningkit and Soulkit outside, play-fighting in the snow. She dug her claws into the ground, furious that she wasn't allowed outside.

Indigopaw was outside the apprentice den, sharing tongues with Stormpaw. Redkit noticed that the tabby she-cat looked kind of nervous. She kept on blinking rapidly and shaking her head.

Acidpaw walked by them, paused, and bent down to whisper something in Indigopaw's ear. Indigopaw seemed to snarl, but he nodded after.

"Redkit!" called Feathersoul's voice, "Come inside, you'll catch a chill!"

_I'd be more than happy to catch a chill if it would allow me to get out of the nursery, _Redkit grumbled inwardly.

Feathersoul seemed to sense her frustration. "I know that you don't like being cooped up like this, but it's your own fault. Sometimes you—"

"Sometimes you have to just flatten your ears and give in," Redkit interrupted, "I know."

Feathersoul blinked in surprise. "Who taught you that?"

"Acidpaw did," she replied.

"Really? I would've thought that he'd agree with your outburst."

"He did," mewed Redkit, "He just told me that I shouldn't have said it out loud."

Feathersoul laughed. "He's a mysterious one, that Acidpaw."

_Apprentice Den…_

_Acidpaw was dreaming again. The black she-cat appeared before him._

"_Greetings, Acidpaw," she meowed, "Congratulations on solving the prophecy."_

"_I didn't really do anything," he replied, "Also, it's not really a prophecy, because nothing earth shattering has happened to the Clan yet that has anything to do with the Three Red Sons."_

"_Are you positive it's only about ForestClan?"_

_The black she-cat's statement caught him off guard._

"_Concentrate, Acidpaw. The prophecy affects more than just your Clan."_

"_Redstar is from ForestClan," started Acidpaw slowly, "Scarletleaf is in MountainClan… Blazingstar is from PrairieClan. So there's a link between ForestClan, PrairieClan, and MountainClan?"_

"_You're missing one," meowed the black she-cat, "There are others mentioned in the prophecy."_

"_Silverdiamond… and Roaringstar."_

"_Yes."_

"_Which means all four Clans are connected. Well that's pretty much stating the obvious."_

"_What will happen soon will shatter the relations between the Clans, rather than connect them."_

_Acidpaw's eyes widened. "What?!"_

_The black she-cat was fading. "Your time of honor is coming. There will be a life you need to save. Good luck."_

Acidpaw opened his eyes. "A life… that I need to save."

He looked around at his fellow apprentices. His gaze rested on Rainpaw.

_That's right, _he thought, _Roaringstar is after her life._

Acidpaw suddenly realized something. If Redstar's father was Roaringstar, that meant…

"Great StarClan," he whispered to himself, "The leader of CanyonClan is my grandfather."

He thought about the black she-cat. She had told him that she shared a part of his name with him. It couldn't be 'paw' because she was way older than any apprentice he knew.

_So her name starts with 'Acid'? _he thought, _I was positive that I was the only cat with 'Acid' in their name. I'll ask around at the next Gathering. Maybe there was a cat whose name started with 'Acid' in another Clan._

Acidpaw rose to his feet and padded over to Indigopaw. It was still pitch-black outside.

"Indigopaw," he hissed quietly.

The small tabby tom yawned. "… just a little longer…"

"Indigopaw!" Acidpaw prodded the younger apprentice with his paw.

The tabby tom woke up. "Yeah?"

"Let's go."

Indigopaw nodded and followed Acidpaw out of the apprentice den. They stopped in front of the nursery.

"Go," meowed Acidpaw.

Indigopaw nodded reluctantly and entered the nursery. He stepped around Lightningkit, Soulkit, Feathersoul, and Lionkit, careful not to wake them.

"Redkit," he whispered, "Redkit, wake up."

The ginger she-cat opened her icy blue eyes. "What do you want, Indigopaw?"

"Acidpaw told me to come and get you. He's going to train me at night starting now, and he told me that you must be bored out of your mind in the nursery all day, so he's going to train you too."

Redkit sprang to her paws. "Really?!" she mewed in excitement.

"Shh!" hissed the tabby, "You're going to wake them up, you mousebrain!"

"Sorry."

Indigopaw didn't reply. He padded out of the nursery with Redkit at his heels.

As soon as they got outside, Redkit flung herself at Acidpaw.

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" she purred.

Acidpaw nodded. He led the two younger cats out of camp all the way to the drinking stream. He turned to face them. "Alright. We're going to start with battle stances. Seeing as it's leaf-bare, teaching you how to hunt is useless."

They nodded. Acidpaw crouched lower to the ground, his fur sticking up, making him appear twice his normal size.

"Attack me, both of you," he told them.

Indigopaw and Redkit exchanged glances.

"Don't hesitate," Acidpaw's eyes glinted, "I'm more than capable of fighting both of you."

Indigopaw charged at Acidpaw, who ducked lower and also went forward, headbutting Indigopaw on the chest. The tabby tom flipped backwards, landing on his back. Acidpaw quickly put his paw on his neck.

"Charging straight forward is an obvious move."

Redkit ran towards Acidpaw this time. She started to attack straight on, but focused on Acidpaw's right shoulder, intending to throw him off-balance. She darted to the right and leaped.

Acidpaw foresaw her move and quickly sidestepped out of the way. Redkit fell flat on her face.

"Your eyes betray where you're going to attack."

Redkit and Indigopaw rose to their paws. They were on either side of Acidpaw. The black-furred tom glanced at them quickly.

The two younger cats dashed at him. Acidpaw leaped straight up in the air. Redkit and Indigopaw slammed into each other, their heads banging together.

Acidpaw landed behind Indigopaw and shoved him to the ground, his paws against the tabby's throat. Redkit came up behind him and tried to attack, but Acidpaw kicked Redkit away.

The black-furred tom turned around to face Redkit, who struggled to her paws. His glittering acid green eyes softened.

"Redkit, don't hesitate to tell me if I'm being too hard on you," he meowed.

"I'm okay, Acidpaw," she replied, "I've already learned a lot. I think I'll be able to beat Lightningkit in playfights soon."

Acidpaw smirked. "Yeah."

They continued training for a while longer. Indigopaw and Redkit were exhausted. They were no match for Acidpaw, who was sitting in front of them calmly, completely unscathed.

"That's enough for tonight," he told them, "Let's go back to camp. It'll be dawn in a few hours."

Indigopaw nodded. "I… I'm exhausted!" he panted.

Redkit rolled her eyes. "You're just an overgrown kit."

Acidpaw walked alongside them, watching them argue over who was stronger. When they arrived at camp, they all went silent.

Redkit whispered a quick thanks to Acidpaw before she scampered into the nursery.

Indigopaw and Acidpaw entered the apprentice den. Everyone was asleep. Acidpaw curled up in his nest and fell asleep immediately.

A few hours later, the black-furred tom was prodded awake.

He opened his eyes. Hawktalon was standing over him. Acidpaw remembered with a smirk that he was no longer under punishment.

"Come on, Acidpaw," meowed his mentor, "We're going on a dawn patrol."

Acidpaw stood up and padded out of the apprentice den. Dogpaw joined up with them there.

The three cats headed towards the exit of camp. They were going to patrol the Twolegplace border.

Waiting for them was Foxclaw, Indigopaw, Stormpaw, Pantherstar, and Stipepaw.

Pantherstar led the patrol through the woods. It was peaceful, not too cold. The snow crunched softly underneath the cats' paws.

Acidpaw frowned at Stormpaw. She was following Indigopaw very closely. He seemed to be whispering to her. The black-furred tom hoped that Indigopaw wasn't telling his sister about the night training.

The patrol arrived at the border. Pantherstar looked up sharply.

"Do you scent anything strange?" she asked Stripepaw.

The orange-eyed tabby tom lifted his head higher up and sniffed the air. He gasped.

"I could be wrong, but I think I smell dog! And it's coming straight for us!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, an enormous white-furred beast sprang out from the shadows. Its blue eyes gleamed and its pointed teeth were bared.

From behind Acidpaw, Dogpaw tensed. One name escaped his bared teeth.

"Rebekka."

The dog turned her piercing blue eyes on the orange-and-white tom. She snarled and leaped at him.

"Dogpaw, get out of there!" yowled Hawktalon.

Dogpaw leaped backwards, just avoiding the dog's deadly jaws.

Rebekka growled and charged at Pantherstar instead, who nimbly jumped out of the way.

"Surround it!" commanded the leader, "At my signal, attack from all sides!"

The patrol formed a ring around the dog. Stormpaw was looking around wildly, a panicked expression on her face. She was standing right in front of Rebekka, as if she didn't know the dog was there.

"Stormpaw!" howled Indigopaw, "Come this way!"

Stormpaw started towards her brother, but Rebekka caught her by the tail and threw her into the air, then slammed her back down into the snow.

"Stormpaw!" wailed her brother, his indigo eyes wide with horror.

"Indigopaw!" she screeched, "Help me!"

Rebekka picked the small she-cat up in her teeth and started biting down. Blood dripped down from Stormpaw's fur. Indigopaw started to run to help her, but Pantherstar held him back.

"Let go of me!" he yowled, "I have to help her! Stormpaw, hang on!"

"You're going to get yourself killed!" Pantherstar hissed.

"I don't care! She needs me!"

Pantherstar glanced at her apprentice. "Stripepaw, go get help!"

Stripepaw nodded and raced towards camp.

Indigopaw continued squirming under Pantherstar's paws. He finally managed to get free.

The indigo-eyed tom flung himself at Rebekka, who swatted him away effortlessly with one gigantic paw.

Indigopaw stood up immediately and stood in front of Rebekka.

"No! Please spare her!" he yowled, "You don't understand! She's blind!"

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**A/N**: I think a lot of people saw that coming. The next chapter shouldn't take too long.


	10. Rebekka and Ember

Disclaimer: I don't own Warriors

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**Zira's Vengeance:** Yeah, Pantherstar is really messed up in the head isn't she? She's crazy for not promoting _her own son_ to Warrior. I think a lot of people forgot that Pantherstar is Acidpaw's mother, Redstar is his father, and Sharktooth and Snakefang are his brothers. Thanks for reviewing!

**Ilovekataang:** Thanks! :) Nope, Indigopaw has never seen Rebekka in his life, he's just begging for Stormpaw's life. Well since Stormpaw and Indigopaw are brother and sister, Stormpaw told Indigopaw about her condition, and he promised he wouldn't tell anyone, and they would both become Warriors.

**WolfSummoner93:** Thanks, I'm glad you like it! :) Shocking, isn't it? The relations of Acidpaw and Roaringstar… Mwahahaha.

**some crazy girl who likes pie:** I know, rather shocking, isn't it? Yay, Acidpaw is free! And you were right the first time, Stormapaw is the one who is blind. Thanks for reviewing!

**Shandril Wielder of Spellfire:** Dun dun duuuun… who knows?! Mystery cat is mysterious! Thanks for reviewing!

**Cinnamonpool:** Ahh! (hides) Well thanks for the review! I'll make sure the next update is not to far off. By the way, Book Three is already planned, so everything should run smoothly for a while, so you won't have to come hunt me down :)

**Moonstar of FireClan: **XD Glad you liked the chapter. Go read the little A/N like two lines down. It will make you happy. (hugs Mangledpaw) Poor kitty indeed! Yup, Redkit and Indigopaw hate each other (wink) Thanks once again for reviewing!

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**A/N:** The first part of this chapter is pretty much just describing the awesomeness of Acidpaw. Yay.

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

Rebekka and Ember

There was dead silence. Foxclaw's eyes were wide with shock. She stared at Indigopaw.

He was shaking, standing in front of the giant dog, Rebekka.

"She's blind…" he whimpered, "Let her go."

Stormpaw's face was tilted towards Indigopaw. Her unseeing eyes narrowed.

"Traitor!" she hissed.

Rebekka dropped Stormpaw to the ground and held her in place with her paw.

"She's blind, hm?" her sky blue eyes glinted, "It's a pity I don't care."

"Attack!" yowled Pantherstar.

Acidpaw threw himself at the dog, latching onto her back and biting the back of her neck. But Acidpaw's fangs never pierced her neck: Rebekka's thick fur prevented it.

Hawktalon had latched onto the dog's back leg, and Dogpaw had the other, trying to keep her in place.

"Indigopaw!" called Foxclaw, "Go for her right front leg!"

The tabby tom nodded and lunged forward, but one blow from Rebekka's paw sent him flying into a tree, unconscious before he hit the ground.

Rebekka pitched forward and grabbed Foxclaw's tail. The ginger and white she-cat was immobilized. Rebekka also hurled her at a tree, knocking her out as well.

The white dog kicked out behind her, sending both Dogpaw and Hawktalon sprawling to the ground. There was a cry of pain from the brown-furred warrior.

Hawktalon tried to stand but fell, his back paws both sprained. Rebekka kicked Stormpaw aside. The blind apprentice was unable to get up: the bite injuries on her back were too painful. Dogpaw, Acidpaw, and Pantherstar were the only ones still standing.

"Regroup!" yowled Pantherstar.

Acidpaw rolled off of Rebekka's back and dashed underneath her, joining Pantherstar and Dogpaw in front of the dog.

"She can't take on all three of us!" meowed the Leader, "Attack!"

But Pantherstar was wrong. As all three cats leaped, Rebekka sidestepped and leaped towards Pantherstar, grabbing her in her jaws and flinging her at Acidpaw, effectively leaving Pantherstar out cold and knocking Acidpaw to the ground.

Acidpaw was stuck under Pantherstar's limp form. Dogpaw was trapped under Rebekka's paws.

"You're the runt, Freddy, that was with Whitefire and December!" she growled, "I should've killed you when I had the chance!"

"My name is Dogpaw now!" snarled the orange-and-white tom, "I've left my past behind!"

Rebekka smirked. "I haven't."

She grabbed Dogpaw's throat, ready to kill him.

"STOP!"

Rebekka blinked and lifted her head. Dogpaw gasped for air and squirmed out of Rebekka's grasp.

The white dog's eyes widened, then narrowed.

"December."

The pure white cat was standing behind her, his pale blue eyes blazing with anger.

"Rebekka," he spat, "This has gone too far!"

"D-December?!" Dogpaw gasped.

The white cat grinned at the orange-and-white one. "Yeah. It's been a long time."

December turned to glare at Rebekka.

"Leave these cats in peace!" he snarled.

"Oh?" Rebekka turned to look at him, "And I listen to you because…?"

December grit his teeth. "You'd better leave them alone, or—"

"Or what?" snapped Rebekka, "You'll kill me? That's hardly likely. Stop playing hero, cat."

The white dog turned her attention back to Dogpaw. She passed her tongue over her teeth and sprang.

Dogpaw ducked and rolled out of the way, missing Rebekka's jaws by a hairbreadth. He rose shakily to his paws and looked over to Pantherstar, who was still unconscious. Acidpaw's back leg was still stuck underneath her.

Rebekka grabbed Acidpaw in her teeth, tugging him free, then flung him down to the snow. The black-furred apprentice bit Rebekka's paw. The dog howled in pain and shook her paw, trying to get the cat loose.

Acidpaw let go when he was far enough away from the dog and landed nimbly on his paws.

"I'll kill you, runt!" snarled the dog.

The black-furred tom rolled his eyes. "Great, now I have **two** dogs who want to tear me limb from limb."

Acidpaw turned to glare at December.

"Are you just going to stand there?! If you have any decency, at least help us!"

The white cat seemed to snap out of a trance. "Oh, y-yeah. I'm sorry."

Acidpaw hissed at him. "Then hurry up! You're December, I know your story. You've lived around dogs, so do me a favor and tell me how to defeat one!"

December looked down at his paws. "I've… never fought a dog before."

Acidpaw gaped at him. "All those moons you spent around dogs, and you don't know how to bring one down?"

The white tom sighed. "I… I know how to fight. Just not against dogs."

"Well that makes you pretty much just as useless as any one of us," growled Acidpaw, "Where in StarClan's name is the patrol that Stripepaw was going to bring?!"

"Concentrate of your fight, mangebrain!"

Rebekka lunged at Acidpaw, her jaws snapping. Acidpaw jumped straight into the air and landed on Rebekka's head, shoving her muzzle down into the snow. He leaped off and skidded to a halt next to Dogpaw and December.

"Are you going to fight or not?!" Acidpaw yowled at them.

They both nodded.

"Then go!"

The three cats went forward. Dogpaw grabbed one front leg and December the other, while Acidpaw sunk his teeth into her muzzle. Rebekka tossed her head wildly, trying to shake Acidpaw off. She reared onto her hind legs and brought her front paws crashing back down to the ground, trapping both December and Dogpaw in one blow.

Acidpaw was still holding on tight to her muzzle. _Foxdung! They're trapped! Everything's depending on me now! If her jaws touch me, it'll all be over!_

"Acidpaw!" Dogpaw's voice broke through his thoughts, "Run back to camp!"

Acidpaw dug his claws into Rebekka's muzzle and released his bite.

"Are you stupid?!" he yowled in response.

"That other apprentice, Stormpaw, is going to bleed to death if she stays out here much longer!" he added, "You've got to take her back! We'll handle this!"

Acidpaw snorted, "You'll handle this? **You'll** handle this?! No offense, but you two couldn't defeat a fish if it came out of the water and slapped you in the face!"

"Acidpaw! Keep holding on! I'll go!" now it was Hawktalon. He finally managed to stand despite his sprained paws. "Stormpaw could die! We can't let that happen! Keep fighting! I'll go back to camp and hurry the patrol along! Just hold on until I get back!"

Acidpaw nodded and sunk his teeth back into Rebekka's muzzle. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hawktalon heave Stormpaw onto his back and start towards camp.

Rebekka continued flailing her head. Finally, she smashed her own muzzle into the ground. Acidpaw came loose. She grabbed him in her jaws, snarling madly.

"No!"

It was Pantherstar. She was back on her paws. Rebekka glared at her.

"Let him go! Take me instead!" she yowled.

Rebekka grinned around Acidpaw's fur. She shook her head 'no'. She started to bite down on the black-furred apprentice.

Acidpaw grit his teeth to prevent himself from crying out in pain. He started to feel pressure on his rib cage.

_This is it? _he thought bitterly, _I go to StarClan at the fangs of a dog, without even having a Warrior name?_

"That's quite enough, Rebekka."

The dog froze. She flung Acidpaw towards Pantherstar. She released Dogpaw and December and kicked them away.

"You," Rebekka looked twice as furious as before.

A black cat stood calmly on a Twoleg fence. His glowing orange eyes looked smug.

"Yes," he replied, "Me."

December tensed for a few seconds, then started shaking in anger.

"Ember," he spat.

The black cat didn't even look at him. He was staring down at Rebekka.

"I've been waiting a long time for this day," he meowed in a bored tone, jumping gracefully off the fence, "The day I'll finally kill Rebekka, my greatest enemy."

"I'll shove those words back down your throat!" she snarled.

She launched herself at Ember, who merely yawned.

Right as Ember was about to get killed between her jaws, he ducked and jumped towards her neck with one claw outstretched. He tore open a vein in the dog's throat.

There was a strangled choking sound and Rebekka collapsed, down in one blow.

Ember looked around, seeming to be almost disgusted.

"Lots of injured cats here," he meowed, "You'd best take care of them."

He looked at December, Dogpaw, and Pantherstar with a passive, almost haughty stare. His gaze rested on Acidpaw.

"You're the strong one, it seems," he added, "There's hardly a scratch on you."

Pantherstar bowed her head. "On behalf of the ForestClan cats, I thank you. Our lives could've ended, had you not come."

"Don't mention it," Ember smirked.

"Have you no place to go?" asked Pantherstar, "If you would like, you may stay with my Clan."

_She's actually made a strategically good move, _thought Acidpaw, _Having a cat like him in our Clan would automatically eliminate all competition for prey and territory._

But instead, Ember's eyes narrowed.

"Me? Join **your** Clan? And serve **you**? How about **you** serve **me**?" Ember's eyes glinted, "But then again, no one here looks strong enough to be one of my followers."

Pantherstar blinked in shock.

Ember's gaze returned to Acidpaw. "Except maybe for him. He has the potential."

With that, Ember turned and started to leave.

"You, the black cat," he called over his shoulder, "What's your name?"

"Acidpaw. My name is Acidpaw."

Ember smiled at him. "Very well, Acidpaw. I'll remember that."

Ember leaped up onto the fence and to the other side, disappearing into the Twolegplace.

Acidpaw stared after him. Such a powerful cat, quite possibly stronger than Roaringstar, had just praised him? Acidpaw had never gotten so much respect before. It made him want to run after Ember and plead to join him, and be trained by him. If a cat as strong as Ember passed down his abilities to Acidpaw…

_I'd be unstoppable._

He would have all respect he'd ever wished for, and he'd be treated as an equal. And no one would tell him what to do or look down on him.

But Acidpaw's loyalties were with ForestClan… for the time being, anyways.

December let out a long sigh, shattering the black-furred apprentice's thoughts.

Pantherstar looked at him. "Who are you?" she asked.

Dogpaw stood in front of his friend. "His name's December. He's one of my friends from my past."

"Actually…" the white cat meowed slowly, "My name isn't December anymore. I… I found Greenstone."

Dogpaw gasped and turned to look at him. "You did?!"

"Yes. He taught me to fight and hunt. When I was strong enough, he changed my name to Winterflame."

"You were given a Warrior name!" yowled Dogpaw, his eyes shining.

Winterflame nodded.

"So… Where's Greenstone now?" asked the orange-and-white tom.

Winterflame looked away. "He… didn't come with me. I wanted to come to the Clans… but he didn't want to face PrairieClan after Whitefire's death."

Pantherstar blinked. "Did you say Whitefire?"

Winterflame nodded.

"He's… dead?" Pantherstar bowed her head, "I remember him. He used to be PrairieClan deputy, before he and the PrairieClan leader both disappeared without a trace. He was a noble cat."

"He was," agreed Winterflame. He looked up, "Is this PrairieClan?"

"Do we smell like the prairie to you?" asked Acidpaw.

"This is ForestClan," meowed Dogpaw, "I'll explain everything back at ForestClan camp. We have to get Foxclaw and Indigopaw straight to Silverdiamond, the Medicine Cat."

Pantherstar nodded and turned to Acidpaw. "Carry Indigopaw. I will take Foxclaw."

Just as the black-furred tom was about to reply, a rasping noise came from behind them. Rebekka was slowly rising to her paws.

"Foxdung," hissed Pantherstar.

Right when Rebekka looked alright, she fell again. Her teeth clenched in anger. Blood spilled from her throat.

"That Ember!" she rasped, "Taking them away! Taking them away from me!"

Winterflame took a few shaky steps towards her.

"What are you doing?!" yowled Dogpaw, "Leave her!"

"No…" the white cat stopped in front of Rebekka, "Why did you treat me so well, while you treated others like dirt?"

"You never knew, December, but I was just like you before you came to me. A victim," she snarled, "I had a mate and one cub. And guess what happened?"

Now, the others were approaching to listen.

Rebekka tried again to stand, but fell back on her side, her head against the bloodied snow. Her long tongue lolled out of her mouth and tears of anger were in her eyes.

"Ember killed them. In front of my very eyes!" Rebekka's voice was hardly over a whisper, "I, too, was a victim of that tyrant! My cub, his name was also December, and I saw him in you."

Winterflame was trembling now. "Why did you hurt others? By being a victim, didn't you understand that killing was wrong?"

Rebekka let out a small laugh, followed by a cough. "I was so enraged… that I couldn't have sympathy anymore… I wanted nothing more than to make others feel the pain that I did… But you…"

The white tom was inching closer and closer to the dog. "But me…?"

"You… I loved you like a son… I tried to protect you… And you betrayed me…" Rebekka lifted her head and stared right into Winterflame's eyes, her muzzle and powerful jaws not even a kittenstep from his face, "It's as if my little December has died twice."

Her head fell back to the ground and her eyes glazed over. The rise and fall of her chest came to a stop. Rebekka was dead.

No one said a word.

Finally, Winterflame sighed and nudged Rebekka's muzzle.

"Her intentions were good," he muttered, "But she went about it the wrong way."

He turned to the Clan cats.

"I'm sorry for the delay."

Pantherstar nodded and was about to say more when a ForestClan patrol burst through the trees, led by Stripepaw.

"Is everyone okay?" asked Falconbeak.

"Foxclaw and Indigopaw are unconscious," meowed Acidpaw.

Falconbeak looked at him angrily. "I wasn't talking to you."

_Geez, _thought Acidpaw, _Don't get your tail in a knot. I was actually trying to help._

"Where's the dog?" asked Tigerpelt.

"Dead," replied Pantherstar, "A strange cat killed it."

"Is it him?" meowed Falconbeak, nodding at Winterflame.

"No. It was a black cat. He's gone now."

Tigerpelt sighed. "Well, thank StarClan no one's been too badly hurt," he turned to Falconbeak, "I'll carry Foxclaw."

"I've got Indigopaw."

The patrol started making its way back to camp.

"Should I come?" Winterflame asked Dogpaw.

Dogpaw hesitated. "I don't know… Maybe it's worth a try."

Winterflame nodded and started following the other cats. "So… how did you end up here? How's Seth?"

Dogpaw stopped and bowed his head. "Seth? There's nothing left of him in that horrible beast. Enough said."

"Oh…"

When the patrol arrived at camp, Indigopaw and Foxclaw were immediately whisked off to the Medicine Cat den.

Acidpaw followed them. He had still been bitten by the dog, and although it hadn't hindered him during the battle, the injury was starting to sting now.

The black-furred tom was immediately greeted by Rainpaw.

"I heard what happened!" meowed the Medicine Cat apprentice in alarm, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," replied Acidpaw, "I was bitten, though, not too badly."

"I'll get some cobwebs, just hold on a second," when Rainpaw returned, she asked, "Who's that white cat that Silverdiamond is treating?"

Acidpaw glanced over at the Medicine Cat, who was applying some chewed-up dock leaves on one of Winterflame's scratches.

Acidpaw smirked. "Him? That's the cat that Dogpaw was talking about, December, except he was renamed 'Winterflame' by Greenstone."

Rainpaw's eyes widened. "No way! That's him?!" she lowered her voice, "I was kind of expecting him to be a bit bigger."

It was true. Winterflame wasn't very big. He was about the same size as Rainpaw, if not smaller.

The white cat turned his head. "Huh?"

"Nothing," meowed Rainpaw, "It's just that Acidpaw and I have heard about you from Dogpaw."

Winterflame looked confused. "Dogpaw…?"

The former kittypet looked up. "Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you. My apprentice name is Dogpaw."

"It doesn't really suit you…" muttered Winterflame.

"I know… but Pantherstar's word is law."

Silverdiamond spoke for the first time. "I've been told that it was Rebekka who attacked you. How did you fare with that, Dece—Winterflame? Dogpaw said that Rebekka hesitated to attack you at the animal hoarder's place."

Winterflame sighed. "Not this time. She was fully prepared to kill me."

"But she's dead now?"

"Yeah. Ember killed her," he blinked and turned to look at Rainpaw, "Wait, you're Medicine Cat apprentice, right?"

"Would she be here if she wasn't?" retorted Acidpaw.

Rainpaw rolled her eyes. "Don't mind him. Yeah, I'm the Medicine Cat apprentice, why?"

Winterflame was about to say more when Pantherstar walked in. She noticed Winterflame and her eyes narrowed.

"What are you still doing here?" she hissed.

Winterflame took a step back. "I-I have no place to go, so I thought—"

"That you thought that you could stay with my Clan?" growled the leader, "In the middle of leaf-bare, when the year is its harshest? Certainly not! We don't need any other kittypets in this Clan. StarClan knows one is enough!"

Dogpaw flinched.

Winterflame bowed his head and flattened his ears. "I'm sorry."

Pantherstar continued looking down on the white tom. "You will leave when your injuries are healed."

"Where do I go?" asked Winterflame.

"Back where you came from. I don't care where. As long as I don't have more strange cats bringing any more dogs into the forest!"

"But—"

"Otherwise you leave now."

Winterflame sighed. "Very well…"

"Couldn't he stay in the Small Woods?" asked Dogpaw, "No one goes there, and there's hardly any prey."

"I don't want him on ForestClan territory," hissed Pantherstar.

"But Mistypaw is there," he pointed out.

"Mistypaw is a full ForestClan cat. She's only in Small Woods to protect the Clan," growled the leader, "I ought to punish you for speaking against your leader!"

Dogpaw lowered himself to the ground and flattened his ears against his head. "I'm sorry, Pantherstar. I won't do it again."

_Redkit was right,_ thought Acidpaw, _Pantherstar's leadership is complete foxdung._

"However," Pantherstar continued, looking back at Winterflame, "I will allow you stay in Small Woods on one condition."

Winterflame looked up. "I'll do anything."

"In all of your spare time, you must hunt for ForestClan. When every cat in the Clan has eaten, then you may take some fresh-kill for yourself."

_That's so harsh! _thought Rainpaw in horror, _Most days, some of the Warriors don't get to eat!_

But Winterflame nodded. "As you wish."

Pantherstar's gaze lingered on Winterflame for a few more seconds before she finally left. Dogpaw let out a breath that he hadn't realized he was holding.

"Well, it's not the best," he meowed to his old friend, "But it's better than nothing."

There was a moan of pain in the corner. Indigopaw shakily rose to his paws.

"Whoa… what happened? Where am I?" he muttered groggily. Suddenly, he gasped, "Stormpaw! Is she okay?!"

"I'm just fine, you filthy traitor," snapped the small tabby, "Now get out of my fur and leave me alone!"

"Stormpaw, I'm sorry, but I had to! That dog was going to kill you!" cried Indigopaw, "And you've already had your apprentice ceremony! Pantherstar can't say that you can't be an apprentice!"

"Well she did!" snarled the tabby apprentice, rising to her paws, "I've been sentenced to the elders' den! I'm nothing but an extra mouth to feed!"

Indigopaw's eyes widened in shock. "But… that's not fair… I… didn't want it to be this way."

"Well, it is now!" shrieked Stormpaw, "You broke your promise, Indigopaw! You swore never to tell anyone about my eyesight, but you just had to go and shout it so every cat from here to the Gathering Island could hear you! I hate you, Indigopaw! You ruined my life!"

"Stormpaw, sit down this instant! You're injuries are going to reopen!" yowled Silverdiamond.

Growling furiously, the former apprentice lay down and put her head on her paws. She turned her head to where Indigopaw's voice was coming from. "I hope you're happy. Now leave me alone."

Indigopaw's eyes filled with tears and he burst out of the Medicine Cat den.

Rainpaw glanced at Acidpaw. "You're friends with Indigopaw, right? Looks like you'll have to go talk to him later. It can't have been easy, being yelled at like that."

Acidpaw nodded. "Yeah. I'll talk to him tonight."

"Good. I'll have a word with Stormpaw too."

Suddenly, Pantherstar's voice yowled. "May all cats old enough to catch their own prey, please join me here at the Treestump!"

Rainpaw started to leave the Medicine Cat den. Acidpaw followed her.

"Are you sure you should be walking around? I applied those cobwebs not too long ago," meowed Rainpaw.

Acidpaw smirked. "You're kidding, right? Now be quiet, the meeting's starting."

"As you all know, there is a Gathering tonight," meowed Pantherstar, "The cats that will be attending are myself, Stripepaw, Rainpaw, Falconbeak, Spotpaw, Lavaflame, Wolfpaw, and Hollythorn. You are dismissed, but I would like to speak to Sharktooth and Snakefang, as well as Quietpaw and Rainpaw."

The crowds started to disperse. Pantherstar leaped off the Treestump and entered her den. Rainpaw joined the leader, Quietpaw, Sharktooth and Snakefang.

"Good, you're all here," meowed Pantherstar, "Firstly, tonight is the night that we will reveal that CanyonClan has stolen kits. I've already explained it to Sharktooth and Snakefang, yes?"

Pantherstar's two sons nodded.

"Excellent. Quietpaw, Sharktooth and Snakefang will escort you and Mistypaw to the Gathering Island before the other Clans get there," she explained, "When I say the words 'I have a very interesting announcement concerning CanyonClan', that will be your cue to emerge from the surrounding trees. Understand?"

Quietpaw nodded. Now Pantherstar turned to Rainpaw.

"Rainpaw, your task is simple," continued the leader, "You will go and get Mistypaw, and while you are in Small Woods, show Winterflame where to stay and what the limits of the Small Woods are. After that, you must go to PrairieClan and demand to speak to Blazingstar. Tell him that you have a message from Pantherstar. I'm sure he'll hear you out. Tell him that Reedheart and Arcticpaw **must** attend tonight's Gathering."

Rainpaw nodded. "But can another cat come with me?"

"Of course, whoever you'd like," replied the leader, "You're all dismissed."

The four cats left the leader's den. Rainpaw poked her head into the Medicine Cat den. "I'm going out for a bit, Silverdiamond," she meowed.

"Very well. Just don't be late to the Gathering."

"I won't," Rainpaw turned to Winterflame, "Come on. I'll show you the Small Woods."

The white tom nodded. "I guess I'll see you around then, Fr—Dogpaw."

Dogpaw smiled. "Yeah. See you later."

Rainpaw looked around camp. She spotted Acidpaw entering the Apprentice den. She padded over to him.

"I have to go to Small Woods, then to PrairieClan territory, but I don't want to go alone," she meowed, "Do you want to come with me?"

"Winterflame is right behind you. Drag him on your mousebrained quests," replied the black-furred tom rudely.

"Pantherstar told me to escort Winterflame to the Small Woods," Rainpaw shot back, "I don't want to go to the Prairie alone. I don't want to get lost like I did the last time I went there!"

Acidpaw rolled his eyes. "Fine. It's not like I have anything better to do."

"Thanks… I think," laughed the Medicine Cat apprentice,

The group of three headed out to the Small Woods.

"You know how to hunt, right?" asked Rainpaw, "I mean, if you don't, then you're probably going to get kicked out of the territory."

"Don't worry about me," Winterflame replied, "I can."

"There's another cat living in Small Woods, her name is Mistypaw," Rainpaw went on, "She's really nice."

"I heard about her from Dogpaw."

"That makes my life easier," laughed Rainpaw.

After quite some time, they arrived in the woods.

"Mistypaw!" yowled Rainpaw, "Are you here?"

Mistypaw's white-furred form emerged from behind an evergreen tree. "Yeah?"

"Pantherstar wants you to attend the Gathering."

"Is today… the day?" she asked.

Rainpaw nodded. "Yeah, it is."

Acidpaw gave her a puzzled look.

"Okay. Should I head over to ForestClan camp?"

"Yeah."

Mistypaw swallowed nervously before passing by Rainpaw and leaving the Small Woods.

"Well… this is where we leave you," meowed Rainpaw, turning to Winterflame, "Good luck."

"Thanks."

He turned away from the two other cats.

"Oh, and Rainpaw?" he meowed suddenly, "…Be careful. As a Medicine Cat, you'll be targeted. The ones trying to protect you might get hurt."

Rainpaw didn't have time to reply as Winterflame slipped into the darkness.

"Wow… He's so polite…" meowed the Medicine Cat Apprentice.

Acidpaw snorted. "He's not anything special. He can't fight very well."

"You sound like you're jealous."

"What is there to be jealous of?!" Acidpaw's ears burned in embarrassment.

Rainpaw laughed. "Alright, let's head over to PrairieClan."

They started towards the river.

"He couldn't win against a **fish**," grumbled the black tom under his breath.

The two cats were silent as they reached the riverbank.

"We cross here, right?" asked Acidpaw. He put a paw onto the ice, "It doesn't feel stable. I think it might crack if we put our full weight on it."

Rainpaw nodded. "I know. We should get onto the Gathering Island through the shallow part, so that if the ice breaks, we won't go completely under, and then we cross on the log that connects to PrairieClan."

Acidpaw glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "How do you know that?"

Rainpaw blinked. "O-oh! I, um, well, I had to talk to Reedheart of PrairieClan, so, um, at the Gathering, she was on the border across the log."

Acidpaw continued looking at her strangely. "Alright. Let's take this log of yours."

The apprentices dashed across the ice and quickly made their way to the PrairieClan log.

"Whoa!" Rainpaw exclaimed, "I didn't notice it was this high up last time!"

She was right. The log was two or three foxlengths above the ice. Rainpaw hadn't noticed the first time because of the darkness.

Acidpaw rolled his eyes. "Let's just get going."

He leaped nimbly up onto the log. He instinctively unsheathed his claws to dig into the wood, but he couldn't sink them in.

"Careful," he called behind him, "It's covered in ice."

The black-furred tom shuffled forward along the log. A thump behind him told him that Rainpaw had also leaped up.

Suddenly, there was a furious scraping noise and a cry of fear from Rainpaw. She shut her eyes.

_I'm going to die!_

But instead of falling, she felt a set of jaws in the scruff of her neck. Acidpaw pulled her back up.

"Mousebrain. I told you to be careful."

Rainpaw clung to the wood. "Th-thanks…" She rose shakily to her paws and continued along the log.

They finally reached the other side.

"Finally," muttered Acidpaw, "Let's just—"

"HEY!" The two apprentices jumped.

"Wh-who's there?" Rainpaw meowed.

"You're intruders!" the voice hissed, "You'll pay for trespassing on PrairieClan territory!"

Acidpaw snarled. "We don't want a fight, but if you do, then I'll gladly kick you around for a while!"

Rainpaw's eyes narrowed. She was sure she had head that voice…

"Seapaw," she hissed.

"Wh-what?!" came the voice.

She remembered Seapaw. He was one of the two apprentices who had taunted Quietpaw when Rainpaw had first come to PrairieClan.

Acidpaw laughed bitterly. "The one who's threatening us is nothing but an apprentice? What do you think you're playing at? You don't have a chance against us."

"Y-you d-don't know where I am!" the cat sounded panicked now, "You have a disadvantage because of the terrain!"

Acidpaw rolled his eyes. He calmly padded over to a snowy patch of dead grass and pounced.

There was a startled meow as Acidpaw dragged the dark grey PrairieClan apprentice out into the open. The ForestClan apprentice looked down at him and pinned him in place with one paw.

"Listen," he meowed in a bored tone, "We've been sent by Pantherstar to deliver a message to Blazingstar. We don't want trouble, but it you give us any you can expect us to retaliate."

Seapaw's sand-colored ear twitched. "Okay, okay… sheesh…"

Acidpaw released him. "Lead the way. Rainpaw's been here before, so don't think of pulling anything funny, alright?"

Seapaw tensed and he gulped.

Rainpaw laughed. It was just like Acidpaw to figure out what his enemy was thinking. He'd make an amazing Warrior.

_StarClan, _thought Rainpaw, _If Pantherstar would just give him a chance, it'd be easy to see that he's deputy material as well…_

Seapaw started walking at a slow pace towards PrairieClan camp. Acidpaw glanced at Rainpaw as if to ask: 'is he leading us in the right direction?'

Rainpaw nodded and Acidpaw's attention refocused to the path in front of him. The scents of other cats flooded Rainpaw's senses.

"W-well, we're here," meowed Seapaw, "I, uh, guess I should accompany you to Blazingstar's den."

"Please do," meowed Acidpaw.

Seapaw entered camp and avoided the gazes of his Clanmates. He padded up to a big hollow log.

"Um… Blazingstar? Are you there?" he called.

"What is it, Seapaw?" came the PrairieClan leader's voice, "I have important matters to discuss with Whitelily soon, so can you make it quick?"

"Well, um, I was out hunting, and well, I ran into the ForestClan Medicine Cat apprentice and a ForestClan Warrior," Seapaw replied hastily, "They said that they have a message from Pantherstar."

Acidpaw blinked. "He… thinks I'm a Warrior?"

Rainpaw glanced at him. "Well… you know… you look like one."

Acidpaw smirked. "That's true."

"Send them in," meowed Blazingstar.

Seapaw bowed his head. "Yes, sir."

He backed away from the leader's den and started to head towards the camp exit.

"Oh, Seapaw," called Acidpaw. The PrairieClan apprentice looked at him over his shoulder. Acidpaw grinned, "I just thought you ought to know that I'm not a Warrior yet. You were beaten by another apprentice."

Seapaw's eyes widened and his ears turned pink in embarrassment. He scampered away.

Acidpaw didn't laugh, but his eyes were shining. It was the first time in a while that Rainpaw had seen him so amused.

He followed Rainpaw into Blazingstar's den.

"Hello Rainpaw, Acidpaw," the giant ginger tom nodded at each of them, "What brings you to PrairieClan?"

_I'm speaking to one of the Three Red Sons… _thought Rainpaw. She was tempted to bring up the Prophecy, but she stayed quiet.

"Pantherstar sent us with a message: she told us to tell you that Arcticpaw and Reedheart **must** attend tonight's Gathering," she meowed, looking into his icy blue eyes.

Blazingstar's black ears twitched. "Today's the day, then?"

Acidpaw grit his teeth. _What's __**the day**__?_

"I'll let them know right away," meowed Blazingstar, "You might as well come along to the Gathering with us. There isn't much daylight left. I'm sure Panth will understand."

_Panth? _thought Acidpaw, _He has a nickname for her? I thought Clan leaders were rivals!_

Rainpaw nodded. "That sounds alright. Thank you."

Blazingstar smiled at her, then turned his attention to Acidpaw. "Have you finally gotten your Warrior name?"

"No. Seapaw made a mistake," replied Acidpaw darkly.

"I'll have a word with Panth, don't worry," Blazingstar meowed.

Acidpaw didn't reply.

The PrairieClan leader rose to his paws. "We'd better get going, or we'll be late."

Blazingstar brushed past them.

"That's nice of Blazingstar," Rainpaw remarked.

Acidpaw looked distracted. "…Yeah."

_Why… why is he so nice to me? _thought Acidpaw, _I wonder if he sees my potential as a Warrior._

The black-furred tom looked up and watched Blazingstar call a last-minute Clan meeting.

_That must be it. He must understand my abilities. If I'd been born PrairieClan and raised under his leadership… maybe I'd have been made a Warrior ages ago. That would've been nice…_

"Come on, Acidpaw, don't space out on me," Rainpaw's voice sliced through his thoughts.

He blinked and followed her.

A white-furred tom with yellow eyes greeted them as they stepped back outside.

"Hi Rainpaw," he meowed, "Didn't expect to see you again so soon."

"It's nice to see you again, Arcticpaw," Rainpaw bowed her head a little, "How's Reedheart?"

"She's alright. She's not too happy to be going to the Gathering. She's afraid of being teased," replied the white-furred tom, "Oh, and I'm not Arcticpaw anymore. I'm Arctichawk."

"Congratulations!" purred Rainpaw. From beside her, Acidpaw tensed. Rainpaw shot him a worried look.

"Who's this?" asked Arctichawk.

"This is Acidpaw," answered the white-furred she-cat. He snorted, and Rainpaw rolled her eyes, "Don't mind him, he's a bit antisocial."

Arctichawk's eyes widened at hearing Acidpaw's name. He leaned closer to Rainpaw. "The cat who killed Blueclaw of CanyonClan?"

Acidpaw held back a flinch. Cats still looked at him like he was a murderer, a monster.

Rainpaw nodded slightly. "He… Acidpaw was trying to protect me. It's a long story, Arctichawk, please don't ask."

The PrairieClan Warrior nodded in understanding.

They finally reached the Gathering Island.

"You should go back to your Clan," meowed Arctichawk, "I'll just see to it that my mother passes over safely."

Rainpaw turned to Acidpaw, "You should probably go back to camp. You weren't intended to come to the Gathering… so…"

"I'll stay in the trees," he replied, "No one will see me."

Acidpaw started to head towards the edge of the island.

"W-wait, Acidpaw!" Rainpaw ran to catch up to him, "Sharktooth, Snakefang, Quietpaw, and Mistypaw are in the trees. Be careful not to run into them."

Acidpaw frowned in confusion, but he nodded. He padded away.

Rainpaw took a deep breath. Tonight was the night that CanyonClan's kitnappings would be exposed. Only StarClan knew what was going to happen. And for some reason, she sensed that it wasn't going to be anything good.

Suddenly, ForestClan scent mingled into the PrairieClan one. She saw Wolfpaw and Spotpaw and scampered over to join them.

"There you are, Rainpaw," meowed Spotpaw, "We were wondering where you were."

"It's complicated," replied the Medicine Cat, "I don't want to explain it."

The two other she-cats remained silent. Rainpaw looked up at the Great Log. Blazingstar, Silverstar, and Pantherstar were all up there. The only one left was Blazingstar.

The three present Clans waited for a while. Soon enough, the sun had almost completely set.

"Well…" Pantherstar's voice silenced the murmurings of the crowd, "CanyonClan seems to be late."

Hidden in an evergreen bush, Acidpaw snorted. _Talk about stating the obvious._

Pantherstar went on. "Speaking of CanyonClan, I have quite an interesting announcement to make about them."

The leafless plant brushes bristled and out stepped four cats, the ones that Rainpaw had warned Acidpaw not to run into. They walked through the crowd of cats, who were shooting angry stares at Mistypaw and Quietpaw. Quietpaw was shaking in fear and Mistypaw met all their glares with her own.

There were angry yowls.

"It's the murderer, Mistypaw!"

"The Curse-Carrier! What is that **monster** doing here?!"

"Kill them!"

"What does ForestClan have to do with them?!"

"SILENCE!" Blazingstar's voice boomed. Every cat went silent, "Let's listen to what Pantherstar has to say."

Pantherstar stood up straight in front of the assembled cats.

"I accuse CanyonClan of stealing kits!"

Startled gasps and yowls laced through the crowd. But one voice rose above them.

"Now, now, Patherstar," drawled the voice, "How could you say that about my precious Clan?"

A CanyonClan cat leaped up onto the Great Log next to the ForestClan leader. The new leader stood proudly. Ice blue eyes glinted.

"StarClan no," Acidpaw whispered, "Rainpaw wasn't crazy after all…"

Roaringstar looked down on them all, a sick, twisted grin across his face.

**END OF BOOK TWO**

* * *

A/N: And I'm sure you all just **adore** me for this **wonderful** cliffhanger.


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